Over the past few days the Kenyan media has had a lot to say about our “First Lady�, Mrs Lucy Kibaki. Most of what has been said has not been very nice. On a personal level I am indifferent to Ms Kibaki and her activities. What troubles me are the deeper issue(s) that underpin the current anti-Lucy sentiment.
Firstly I am concerned by our national media’s obsession with the personal aspects of Ms Kibaki’s life. This is not to say that I am against coverage of the Kibaki’s. Be it to curb our voyeuristic tendencies or to give us greater insight into another aspect of our leader’s life – it is good to be kept informed. What is not right is when our national media resort to tabloid style journalism.
Kenya does not have a wide range of written press to cater for all audiences. The written news that the majority of Kenyans read, on all matters global and national, is provided predominantly by two newspapers – The Nation and The Standard. We do not have the “luxuryâ€? of choosing whether to opt for the tabloid or broadsheet version of a story. When any newspaper holds as much power as that held by Kenya’s big two I feel they need to be responsible in what they cover and how they cover it.
Most of their coverage on this recent issue regarding Mrs Kibaki revolves around how she dealt with the level of noise emanating from her neighbour’s/tenant’s house. Her neighbour/tenant happens to be outgoing World Bank country leader Mr Makhtar Diop.
Mrs Kibaki has already challenged the accuracy of their information. The manner in which she challenged the media has also been the subject of debate. Mrs Kibaki is said to have “stormed” the media offices and there have been allegations that she slapped a journalist.
At present there is so much she said/he said I do not know who to believe. I can however speak confidently on two things, if Mrs Kibaki did slap the journalist then this aspect needs to be dealt with appropriately. Secondly this is not the first time that our press have got it wrong.
I recall a few months ago when Kenyan bloggers and readers of Thinker’s Room spoke out against the Nation’s decision to print without sufficient credit an item taken from Thinker’s blog. On more than one occassion people the media was labelled as unreliable and unethical, quite a few said they were not suprised by the actions of the press.
Further to this, if Lucy did behave in manner that was inappropriate then surely our nation’s media should be raising the level of debate and focusing on the implications of her behaviour and how it affects Kenyans.
- How does Mrs Kibaki’s behaviour affect us and the daily struggles that we go through?
- Will her reaction affect relationships between Kenya and the World Bank?
- Will Senegal (Diop’s country of origin) sever all ties because a member of our country was (allegedly) rude and offensive towards him?
- Should we be reviewing our Constitution and setting guidlines on the roles and responsibilities of “First Families”?
- What exactly is the correct cause of action when dealing with noisy neighbours and how many Kenyans are aware of their rights in relation to this?
This , a long with questions raised by Kenyan Pundit are a few examples of some of the things that I would like to see in our papers.
Writing this has reminded me of a time when Tony Blair’s son was arrested for being drunk and disorderly. The Guardian an English broadsheet paper raised the level debate while most of the tabloids opted to focus on the fact that Blair’s son told the police his name was Mickey Mouse.
The Nation and The Standard’s preoccupation with whether Mrs Kibaki was wearing pyjamas at the time is in my view very similar to the tabloid’s Mickey Mouse approach.
The pyjama aspect leads me on to something else that disturbs me about this anti-Lucy sentiment. This is not the first time that Mrs Kibaki has come under attack for how she looks and dresses.
In my view Mrs Kibaki has an “every woman� look to her. We may not like the fact that Mrs Kibaki’s weave is not cool. Or that she owns one of those buttock hugging woollen cardigans with brash embroidery. Or that in 2005 she still wears those patent leather “pumps� complete with the stick-on bows. Some of us may still be wondering why she bothers to razor shave her eyebrows only to redraw them (twice as thick) with a charcoal coloured pencil. We may never know the answer to this one. What I do know is that most if not all Kenyan families have an aunt, mother, sister, daughter and/or cousin who proudly leave the house sporting the Lucy Kibak look. I also have a sneaky suspicion that if Mrs Kibaki did get a make over there would be many who accuse of her misspending our money.
It’s not just Mrs Kibaki’s look that is under attack. The way she speaks has been the subject of many jokes. Apparently Mrs Kibaki’s “shrubbing� is one that amuses many of us. I have failed to find an English equivalent for the word “shrubbing�. The best I can do is offer a comparison. In the same way that Japanese people, owing to the nature and structure of their language pronounce “L� as “R� and vice-versa when speaking English, so to does Mrs Kibaki.
Laughing at people who shrub is common in Kenya, yet so many Kenyans shrub and many of those who do shrub, are conscious and at times embarrassed by this. While on the surface it may appear as harmless fun, underlying this ‘humour’ is the racist, classist, elitist notion that an inability to speak and pronounce English like the Queen means that you are backward, illiterate and stupid.
Mrs Kibaki, with her weave and her shrubs in many ways embodies the Kenyan woman.
So while we may laugh and ridicule Mrs Kibaki for her appearance and her ‘bad’ English we are effectively laughing at ourselves. In our jest we reinforce, encourage and perpetuate racist, classist and elitist stereotypes that so many of our people have been fighting against.
Lastly, there has been mention of her husband, our President, Mwai Kibaki being told to take ‘charge of his family’. Am I the only who is incensed by this blatantly sexist and chauvinistic attitude? When a few male politicians were caught kerb-crawling on Nairobi’s Koinange Street I do not recall anyone calling for their wives to step in and take charge of their family. Apparently, there are some who feel that President Kibaki’s inability to control his woman is a sign that he is not a good leader. Excuse me? Since when was a marriage about control?
I am not excusing, defending or encouraging what Mrs Kibaki is alleged to have done or said. I feel very strongly about denying the media their freedom. I also feel strongly about the fact that Mrs Kibaki (allegedly) slapped a reporter. I do not condone violence. I also feel that as Kenya continues to grow and evolve we should examine what we expect from our public figures. But I refuse to be part of those discussions that focus solely on personality, rely on information that may be inaccurate and that is littered with sexist, elitist and often times violent language.
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sylvanah says
hey , i really love your new site, after reading your comments about lucy i was sorry that i too have trivialized the issue but to let you some truth Lucy’s only angry by the media coverage of Wambui when she donated the 10M and has nothing to do with Diop and the obvious truth that Kibaki does not live with her in Muthaiga, She is not a First Lady perse and i guess this makes her frustrated it’s all a power game.
tru dat Kenya’s media is perfoming below par at telling us the truth but all the same it is very disgraceful for Lucy.
BTW i was talking about the conference wat was it about.
Mama JunkYard Says:No need to apologise. I think this Lucy incident has brought so many issues to the forefront and we should all be free to discuss them. What really got to me was how our papers handled the issue.
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madame butterfly says
bad/inappropriate press coverage sells. and since kenyans primarily do not numerous media outlets will soak this for all its worth..its not just about a lucy wearing pjs..its also the ingrained perceptions that a wo/men don’t know how to deal with power.. she becomes intoxicated..irrational..menstral..etc..
Mama JunkYard Says: Mariposa you are so right. This issues has been discussed from a tribal perspective, from a class perspective and from a whole range of other perspectives. The one angle that seems to have been left out of this debate is the gender perspective. If we are going to give the other views a platform then those you issues you raise, that challenge our notions of what is acceptble behaviour by a lady should also be given a platform. Thank you for raising the debate girl
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madame butterfly says
bad/inappropriate press coverage sells. and since kenyans primarily do not numerous media outlets will soak this for all its worth..its not just about a lucy wearing pjs..its also the ingrained perceptions that a wo/men don’t know how to deal with power.. she becomes intoxicated..irrational..menstral..etc..
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madame butterfly says
by the way.. i like how everything looks..
Mama JunkYard Says: Thanks!
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mshairi says
After we spoke last night, I visited a couple of Kenyan discussion forums. The sexism and misogyny portrayed within was scary – it was as if the antics of this woman had given people carte blanche to be as obnoxious and prejudiced as possible. People were also attacking her based on her ethnic group. Absolutely sickening.
Well done and well said, MJY
Mama JunkYard Says: Those forums!! Ngai…some of them are just an embarassment.
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mshairi says
Well said, Madam Butterfly. The forums focused on that t i.e. women are incapable of dealing with power because they are irrational due to their hormones, etc.
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Ms K says
Kairetu, kudos for putting forth such a sensible comment on this whole circus.
I got into an argument with my collleague about this obsession with what she was wearing. If my neighbour had a live band at his place, I would walk over in my PJs. And what’s wrong with wearing shorts?
This kind of nonsense is the same as what you guys have in UK where the press hires people to analyse what Camilla/Queen Liz/(insert famous person) is wearing. Rubbish!!
I must admit that I am one of the people who had a problem with her hair and sense of style, but then I realised that well, there may well be people who think I’m the tackiest person alive!
I understand her motive behind going to Diop’s house. However, there is a bit of a prob with how she dealt with it. And taking over Nation was just…. well… too much.
However, to hear people going around proclaiming that she is mentally unstable, needs to see Frank Njenga and even worse, that Kibaki needs to control her… shows just how myopic and short-sighted Kenyan sociaety is.
This issue is far too complex to be addressed from one angle. True her behaviour was bizarre but public reactions are just as bizarre. It points to underlying prejudices, particularly against women, that Kenyans must address.
Oh and you guys should learn to ignore Mashada. Most of the rubbish said there is not worth repeating, let alone reading.
Mama JunkYard Says: You are right Ms K. This issue is complex. We have barely touched the surface and that is why I am so desperate to see our newspapers move away from her pyjamas. As for her hair and look, we all make those judgements. What I would like to see is the focus to shift from “her weave is bad” to “why are we bothered by the state of her weave?” , “What are our assumptions of how a First Lady should look/act/dress/speak?”
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Mentalacrobatics says
Deep post. For me its about abuse of power. LK seems to believe that there is one rule of her and her family and another for the rest of us and so far she seems to be right as the police are helpless to deal with her. I agree with MsK on Kenyan forums, they are not representative they present the lowest.
Mama JunkYard Says: The abuse of power is yet another valid issue which took a back seat in this whole “what was she wearing” saga. I also like your recent post on this matter.
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mshairi says
I hope the debate raised by Kui’s post does not go into discussing the merits of this discussion forum and that. Actually, I did not go to Mashada, Ms. K. (do not understand what half the people are saying half of the time – probably an age thing).
For me what rankles is the way this woman has been objectified. Power is abused in Kenya on a daily basis both overtly and also very openly, MA – you only have to look at the ever-expanding poverty gaps, the levels of corruption, the lack of gender equity, etc. to see this.
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Afrofeminista says
Lucy Kibaki’s behavior is about many things – plain old bad behavior; a woman mirroring society’s (read patriarchy’s) idea of power i.e. I throw my weight around and use my power to oppress; double standards expressed by the media – why wasn’t there outrage when Ndolo the Makadara MP famously quipped, ‘mkiona hao…’? All his statement got was a lukewarm warning from law enforcement and much repeating in various variations by other politicians!
What does Lucy’s behavior say about Kenyan ideas about power – why didn’t Mr. Kingori not just restrain her?
How does the Executive in any country operate with no checks and balances (read: where’s our new Constitution?)
What does the media and the public’s comments about how she ought to be ‘controlled by her husband’ say about patriarchy and its deep roots in this country?
What does Lucy’s behavior bode for civil society organisations working towards increasing the number of women in decision-making positions in this country?
It’s so much more than just bad behavior and yes the media’s let us down by not bringing that out!
Mama JunkYard Says: Karibu! I have no more to add to this other than…amen!!
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Guess says
That was very well written and kudos to you MJY for bringing this out the way you did. I agree with everything you said, and found myself nodding one time and frowning (thinking deeply) the next. And then happy the next.
I obviously have nothing constructive to add (and I cant wait anymore for someone else to post so I can get the sexy box – not happy)
Mama JunkYard Says: LMAO @ sexy box…I can see if I can ‘fix’ it so that this comment moves into the box of your choice.
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M says
Personally the entire saga raised some pertinent issues with regads to society
– People do not know their rights. It was ludicrous for Lucy to leave orders to the effect that no one should leave, and still more for her to confiscate cameras, diaries, etc
– People do not know their duties and responsibilities. It was ludicrous for the bodyguards to agree to enforce this. For the police PPO to agree to be ‘summoned’ was saddening
– Clifford Derrick should take her to court at the first opportunity for assault
– The police there should also have arrested her for assaulting the cameraman but they did nothing
– The journalists there were restrained against their will. This cannot be legal, and sounds suspiciously like they were kept hostage
– Shame on the cops for their inaction. They looked like terrified schoolboys
With regads to Lucy
– The instant she became the First Lady she immediately became a public figure. Like it or not there will always be an interest in what public figures are doing. I don’t see anything inherently wrong with the press saying she had on pyjamas.
– By virtue of being a public figure, and particularly a first lady, she had better learn that she can no longer cave in to knee jerk reactions
– Being First Lady in effect means that she is a representative of Kenyan women. He dress style and accents are irrelevant, but her actions are very relevant. Unfortunately she does not have the luxury of flying off the handle in public because besides being Lucy Kibaki she is the First Lady. Any excuses to the effect of ‘that is the way I am’ will not hack the mustard.
– She should be informed that she does not have any more power than me, and therefore cannot order around the police or indeed any private citizen to do her bidding
– Being the First Lady does NOT entitle her to any special powers
– Her actions reflect not only on her but also on her husband and the country as a whole. The weekend’s events have pretty much made Kenya and it’s president a laughing stock
Bottom line — she had better be ready to have cameras on her the instant she steps out of State House or Muthaiga. She had better realize that she can no longer behaves as she pleases because there will be considerable repercussions. And she (and Kenyans at large) better realize that she has NO POWERS to order anyone around.
And by the way if Lucy was president and Mwai did the same thing my post would be exactly the same
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M says
And one more thing. I’m not saying that she should have done nothing or accept whatever happens to her. What I am saying is that there are protocols to follow for the aggrieved. Be it the intervention of the media council, litigation or direct conversation with the editors. Terrorizing innocent reporters in the course of their duties, confiscating their property and assaulting them becuase you are the first lady and therefore above the law is the most ridiculous thing i have ever seen!
Mama JunkYard Says: M, I agree with you when you say that this saga raises pertinent issues. That was the reason for my post. I wanted to see our papers discuss some of the issues you raise. We need to take this debate beyond Mrs Lucy Kibaki because the issues that have come about from this saga shall continue to affect us long after the Kibaki’s have left State House.
With regards to your analysis on Lucy, I used the pyjamas incident as one example. Why it stood our for me was because there was so much scope to take that issues further. It should not have been left at “she was wearing pyjamas”. I would have liked to see it taken to the level that makes us question why we are outraged at the sight of our First Lady in pyjamas. Once we start to debate it on that level we then get into the very issues you raise- such as does the First Lady understand what we as Kenyans expect from her? Does she understand her role as First Lady?
Your comments do exactlty what I had hoped the press would have done – they take this debate further. We move away from Lucy Kibaki the person to the role and function of the First Lady. We begin to discuss the rights of the media. This really is what my post was about – taking the issues out of the realm of tabloid sensationlism and into the arena of constructive debate that ensures that we are not faced with this saga again and if we are…we know exactly how to deal with it.
As for your one more thing: sema tu you wanted a sexy box LOL
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Magaidi says
Hi Kui, I disagree with you. It is true that the Nation and Standard don’t represent ‘par excellence’ when it comes to Journalism. Like M said, there are avenues to express her dissatisfaction with the media’s potrayal of her – certainly storming media houses, confiscating cell phones and pencils and slapping journalists is not one of them. Biwott took various papers to the courts for allegedly linking him to the Ouko murders. Albeit not the same set of circumstances and not the same situation, the principal is the same, there are avenues to deal with false media reporting. The Nation’s reports of what LK was wearing were quotes from people present at the function, the paper didn’t insinuate anything. She is the first lady because she is the president’s wife only! She is not an elected official nor a spokeswoman for the government. She has engaged officials publicly and when she purports to speak for the government, then there is backlash..thus her fall from grace. You take issue with politicians and other peoples comments about the president taking charge of his family (the both Nation and Standard printed),I do think he needs to be called out. When Bush’s daughters were involved in drunken parties, the president was called out to take charge of his family. We have an image problem when our first lady is out slapping journalists. The president needs to address this – You seem to have a problem with the comments so why didn’t you include her comments there? – Case in point:
“This is Muthaiga not Korogocho”
“Who is your mother?”
“No man in Kenyan has dared ever talk back to me”
“I am the most experienced politician here because I have been voting for over 40 years”..to name but just a few.
Again that’s a whole different issue but you cannot fault the media for running these in print. As far as Kenyans being obsessed with what Lucy looks like/talks like/wears? It’s all subjective. I personally don’t care what she looks like but people will be people. This is not about gender/looks – it’s more about resposibility both on Lucy’s part and the media.
Mama JunkYard Says: In my post I categorically stated that I do not condone, defend, encourage what Mrs Kibaki is accused of having done or said.
I think you missed the essence of my post. What I was trying to say is this: Let us discuss this issue but let us do so in a way that takes us beyond the personal because the personal aspects of Mrs Kibaki shall cease to be of importance once she has left State House. The wider issues however shall continue to be of importance.
For instance, the pyjama issue (again) yes the media printed what was said by other people but they should have taken it a step further and asked the people why they didn’t like seeing Mrs Kibaki in her pyjamas. To break it down even further. If I walk up to a person and say You look a mess” and walk away I have clearly done nothing besides insult a person. If however I approach a person and say “You know, when you leave the house with hair uncombed, teeth unbrushed, clothes unironed you do not look like a person that others can respect”. I have taken the issue beyond the level of mere insults. The person concerned now has scope to engage in debate on loads of issues including my definition of”looking respectable”. We begin a dialogue. This is what the papers should have done. It is responsible, informative journalism.
I do not see how telling me about Bush’s family shall change my view that marriage is not about controlling one’s partner. I am not concerned about the personalities in question I am concerned about the language used. Mr and Mrs Kibaki do need to talk, I agree but I make no apologies for refusing to accept that he should control his wife.
Why didn’t I include the Korogocho remark? For the simple reason – my post is entitled “Before I Talk About Lucy” This was my attempt at setting the context in which I feel comfortable discussing the behaviour of Mrs Kibaki. I am not one to simply jump into an argument without first stating my understanding of the issues and my approach. Once this is set then can I begin to dissect those Korogocho remarks which you also refer to as “a whole different issue”.
To round up my response to you – I refer to my starting point – this is not an apology for Mrs Kibaki – it is my attempt to enter this debate at a level which goes over and above insults and similar issues.
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angie says
hey MamaJ. so i was reading ur viewpoint on ur snazzy new website (kudos by the way) and i hear what you are saying, re: the media’s responsibility and how we as kenyans treat and regard our first lady. But here is my problem with the whole ‘defend Lucy’ issue.
Like it or not, she IS what the world looks at as representing Kenya particularly from a socio-cultural perspective. As a dignitary, be she male or female, there is a certain level of diplomacy, control and class that ought to be exhibited…simply because she became a public figure when her husband became president.
I hear what you are saying about marriages being about control and the chauvinistic attitude that Kibaki should ‘control’ his wife. I do feel however that he should not have to be put in such a situation whereby like u urself mentioned, there could be numerous international level repercussions.
– if the WB gets POd because their national rep was harassed in a very un-civil manner, and decides that our guvah does not practice ‘good governance’ therefore is not eligible for the assistance that we so desperately rely on….Kenyans will remember that it was Kibakis wife who messed the whole thing.
– our country has recently been having numerous run-ins with diplomatic reps…demanding that they be arrested, or forced to leave the country, some name calling here and there……..what does that say about the etiquette that our leaders display? and now the President’s spouse, whose role in my opinion is to support and enhance all efforts made by the President to represent and improve the nation. Sadly Mama Lucy doesnt do that.
You are right, her sense of style (or lack thereof)her manner of speaking, her makeup antics are really not what should define this woman, rather we should look past it to her character and the work that she has done in the past. but sadly in this instance, she nullified many of her efforts, by her herself exhibiting classist, sexist and elitist tendencies (‘This is Muthaiga not Korogocho” “No man in Kenya has dared ever talk back to me”)
My fingers are just crossed now that all this drama would cease…tho it has been entertaining albeit embarassing for us as kenyans…
We have much bigger things to focus on, and the last thing we need is an episode of face-saving and trying to salvage our international reputation.
ohhh before i forget….chk out the East African Standard site for the video coverage….cameras dont lie
Mama JunkYard Says: Thanks for the props re the site.
You question the whole “defend Lucy” stance. I have said in my post that I am not defending Lucy so I see no reason to speak on a position that I did not put forward. The rest of the issues that you are raise are exactly what my post was trying to elicit. Let us discuss the entire saga in constructive manner. Your comment is doing precisly that. You are going beyond Lucy and are focusing on issues such that lead us to explore words like diginty, respect, image. Our written media had not reached this level at the time of my writing this. That is what bugged me.
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Magaidi says
Kui, for the sake of clarity your post has touched on a wide range of issues. In defense of the Nation – the paper did do an editorial on the underlying issues and implications of this saga. Is this enough? certainly not by a far stretch however it is important to note that they did it. In your post you failed to mention that but chose to vilify them for coverage of this incident and others in the past.
Secondly, on the issues having to do with how she was dressed (lol – yes I know, again!) I think some issues are not worth the time, like discussing the underlying problems with Lucy Kibaki walking into a world bank executive’s party dressed in pyjamas? It just flies in the face of common sense. Do we really need to sit down and disect this scenario? I think and even further hope not. There are far more important issues to discuss than this. Again, if the report was inaccurate that’s a whole different story. You missed my point referring to a similar situation with the Bush’s. My point is not to discuss control issues in marriage (which in itself is also a totally different matter), rather show you that similar situations have happened to other first families and their heads were called on to address them. I see no fault with other Kenyans telling Kibaki to address the situation in his household for the simple fact that it is an embarassment to the country at large. How he chooses to address it, whether through dialogue with his wife or whichever other way – that’s up to both of them. I agree there are issues that need to be discussed – the implications – BUT! there is also a story to be repoerted – the Situation. I see no fault here with the media houses reporting in this case.
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Xquizzyt1 says
Kui, before I address your post… or any of them for that matter, allow me to say that I ADORE your new site and didn’t know it was up and running, or I would have been here WAAAAAAAAY before this…
*going to catch up on the posts I missed*
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afromusing says
on this:
“it is good to be kept informed. What is not right is when our national media resort to tabloid style journalism.”
The way i understand the role of the press is to report the WHAT, WHEN, WHERE and HOW first and then the debate can continue from there. This was a difficult story to cover it was sensational in nature. Her repeated actions elevated this from a neighbourly issue to something ‘other’. IMHO they reported it as it was happening. The pajama thing was a direct attributed quote from someone observing and describing the situation.
“Firstly I am concerned by our national media’s obsession with the personal aspects of Ms Kibaki’s life.” I do not think they are being hounded per se (no pictures of personal vacations, the pictures and stories we read about happened on public domain)
IMO Mr kibaki’s life has spilled over into the domain that the media HAS to cover. She makes lots of public statements (Including that of Kibaki’s run for 2007)
Have you seen the video on the standard website? (The video is of the events at Nation Centre)Farida the journalist gave her the opportunity to explain herself. (She missed a valuable opportunity to address her concerns rationally, she proceeded to threaten an MP)The questions you raise and those raised by M and mental could not have been possible without the reportage, this has happened in a span of 3 days. Before even debating the first issue, another situation came up in their offices no less. IMO i think the press did their job. (Havent had a chance to read the commentary or editorial pages on nation or standard yet.) Hopefully the questions raised do bubble up into the Kenyan discourse. I am skeptical of that, but i definitely hope they do address these issues.
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afromusing says
oh, (I want the preety box!) just want to say that nation article included lots direct quotes from her.
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Tabster says
Does Mrs. Kibaki have insight?
Could her behaviour be the manifestation of a mood disorder?
If so what are her rights?
Basically ……. should we not be focusing on why this happened as opposed to what she did/said when it did?
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Memoire says
D’you know I was thinking of posting something on the Lucy saga, as everywhere it seems that no one is standing up for the truth. Thank you so much MJ for this post, it says everything and opens the debate.
I actually wondered what the big deal about Lucy’s interruption of the party was – if it was me I’d probably send henchmen to rough them up Is it because some World Bank bigshot was involved? What if it was mr/ms ordinary?
Secondly, the press expects Lucy to behave as a “first lady” should – that is an entirely Western concept, which is just another extension of Kenya’s obsession with being like the West, so women should act like subservient Victorian wives or like the wives of Bush et al, who smile plastic smiles at the media. Supposing this was 1805, and she was a Chief’s or King’s wife, these concepts are all relative, and there’s no standard way in which a wife of a president should act – she is like any other citizen and if she has a temper, heck everyone does.
I as a feminist see her as a woman who will not be trifled with and I’d rather her anyday than the submissive women in the Kenyan media. I actually applaud her, and I found it funny, and I still wonder what the big deal is.
As for that “embarassing” Kenya, why is the country so obsessed with what the world thinks of it? If truth be told, if we look at the Western media, we are really just another 3rd world country. Let’s be honest, here, it’s more about trying to give the (white) world an image. As for that “women’s group” that said that Kibaki should control Lucy, I don’t even have words for them, what the heck kinda women’s movement is that?
Lucy reminds me of women I grew up seeing, in estates, in schools (teachers), and today those same women are Kenya’s everyday women, so I think the press should back off. And yes I don’t trust the Kenyan media, I have seen too many shoddy pieces of journalism and plagiarism in it.
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Kenyan Pundit says
Kudos to MJY and everyone who has commented for raising the level of debate to precisely where it should be.
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Crusader says
For the record, here’s my take.
For starters, if Diop had acted with a modicum of courtesy (informed and invited Lucy as his neighbour to the party rather than going above her head to clear the loud party he intended to throw with State House), he would have enjoyed significantly more good will from Lucy, even though she in all probability would not have attended. That he didn’t points to his chauvanistic arrogance. Please note, that just beuacse he was the World Bank rep in Kenya doesn’t make him a demigod (in my perspective, rather the reverse – an African whose conscience is so dulled by the prospect of personal financial gain that he finds nothing wrong with defending the policies that impoverish our people).
Secondly, the only reason we are having this debate is, and this might of the face of it sound very simplistic, because we are talking about a woman. Society (still) has set views about what women’s place ought to be, especially in public. We habour very lower tolerance levels for displays of anger in public when they come from women, than we do for men. Case in point: the nation didn’t come anywhere close to this animated when Prof Obel, in a fit of anger promted by a similar circumstance (being ignored and treated as inconsequential – in his case by matatu touts who rule Kenyan roads; in Lucy’s by the media that runs our lives), whipped out his private gun and shot two people in the matatu blocking his way.
Thirdly, we can complain loud and long about the lack of ethical and quality journalism in Kenya (which is the reality), bu until we change our habits as consumers – demand for qualitative and intellectually stimulating journalism, then we are the ones who make it possible for the trash that passes for journalism in Kenya to thrive.
On Lucy, and in closing, I think that we are dwelling on a non-issue that has been given undue prominence by the Kenyan press whose sole agenda at the end of the day is, let’s face it, to push volumes. Never mind if they ruin fragile (mentally or otherwise) lives or personalities permanently.
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Migz says
Kui
The post was deep. Lots has been said by you and by commentators alike. Brief Remark: Mrs. Kibaki has to remember that she is a dignified personality in Kenya, where her actions, utterances and even trivialities like whether she was wearing pyjamas or shorts will always be highlighted and churned into news because of her status.
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Wanjiru says
I totally agree with Kui, she is a dignitary, she is a first Lady and she should check how she behaves in public .She is representing Kenyan and trust me the whole world is watching. Whatever utterances she hurls around is going to be a reflection of the government. I do not condone her behavior and if Nation or standard did not cover this story sensational or not, then Kenyans would not be having this discussion. She has gotten away with stuff but it was about time that Kenyans had a say about this, after all it is our country and our government as well.
I ‘m glad standard and Nation did this story because there many other utterances and behavior among our dignitaries that has gone unsaid and it is such look the other way” that has even made them more bold to steal in the broad daylight because no one is keeping them wondering who is watching. Hongera to Nation and Standard for airing this embarrasing
P.S it was aired in CNN, Fox News , BBC ….
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Nyakehu says
HI MJY I am glad you raised this debate to this level but there is still a level of she said, he said. To be honest this is not the time to bewail the policy of the Bretton Woods institutions towards poverty. The man was having a party, no one knows what his relationship with the first lady was as tenant and landlord so let us not slide into the slippery slope of speculation and supposition.
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Muramati says
If I may join the debate rather late, I’ll begin by noting that Monday & Tuesday were Lucy’s days in court: The public court that is. All the facts were out and every reasonable citizen had a chance to make up her or his mind as to Lucy’s position be it social, mental, psychotic…whatever.
If I may differ with MJ, I think the media has been rather fair on Lucy given the fear of the “I’m married to the bigman syndrome”. As wife to Kibaki, she has not nearly copped as much flack for her pronounced outburts as she should have. The media, in my recent experience has just made the point of publishing her utterances without getting personal. As indeed they should.
However, Lucy is unelected and is only accorded respect because of the man she is married to. His immunity does not extend to her.
She indeed slapped Clifford Derrick – on camera mind you – breaking the laws of the land. In fact, she committed several offences which are documented on tape. Firstly, she breached the peace, trespassed on Nation Centre, assaulted a citizen, conspired to breach the peace again by threatening to visit Standard & KTN offices to conduct a similar protest, she converted/stole mobile phones from journalists with police officers, unlawfully imprisoned journalists in the editorial room if only for the hours that she was present @ Nation Centre, arguably engaged in war like activities, abused state priviledges by coercing her detail to accompany her while she broke the law, induced her security detail and a police officer to break the law as per above et al ad infinitum.
Her deranged behaviour only becomes a matter of concern and deserved public interest because it is her marriage to the president that facilitated all the above offences. The question is whether the president, who swore to uphold the constitution and all other laws of kenya, condones and supports his wife’s actions.
If she felt that the media had potrayed her & her family in a negative light, there are laws against defamation. In fact, defamation is both a civil and criminal offence in Kenya. She bypassed legal process becoming judge, jury, executioner, and enforcer of her judgments.
Any subsequent coverage she recieved is, and can only be, fair comment. It is not too far fetched to suggest that she is in definite need of serious psychiatric examination. She exhibited bipolarity, mania, and flights of fancy in a country that is progressing along the bumpy road of democracy.
She should be immediately arrested.
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kaki says
i have to agree. And I am so done with people saying Kibaki needs to control his wife. Like she is a puppet or dog! All you have to do is sit back and watch the chavinism unleash.
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Esther says
please; lucy should stop displaying her dirty linen in public. Grow up and be logical. She has embarassed herself and the public Uhuru for presidence
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susan says
please; lucy should stop displaying her dirty linen in public. Grow up and be logical. She has embarassed herself and the public Uhuru for presidence
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Wambui says
I cannot believe I missed all this! Yani! You well my girl?