Author: Francis Kahihu
Date: January 21, 2007
Type of article: Letter
Source: The East African Standard - not available online

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The seventh World Social Forum (WSF) has come to Kenya bringing together thousands of delegates from all over the world to discuss among other issues such as HIV/Aids, gender, privatisation, landlessness, peace and conflict, migration and Diaspora.

Other issues include on youth, debt relief, free trade agreements, labour and housing.

This is indeed a great opportunity for the media to market our country. In the past, we have witnessed very little change in the programming of our media houses during important international events.

For instance, the recent talks on climate change held in Nairobi but it brought together hundreds of delegates from all over the world. The media did little to entice them to visit any of our tourist destinations.

The world has presented us with yet another opportunity to showcase our best.

At this period, I expect to witness responsive programming so that we substitute some of the foreign radio and TV shows with episodes that are truly Kenyan.

Programmes revealing our national heritage sites like the game parks, museums, the rain forests and the theoretical performances that reflect our culture would be of great value to the visitors.

A closer look at the current programming, reveals that more than 75 per cent of the programmes aired are foreign.

With this, even the local population feels starved of information related to their own environment. We only get to hear about the national parks when for instance tourists are stranded in the Mara, or when a hot air balloon fails to take off.

Our breathtaking waterfalls get media coverage when a young man drowns while attempting to showcase his prowess to visiting tourists.

We love wildlife. We are fans of nature. We indeed would rather watch marine life programmes than watch the Mexican soap operas that hardly inspire anybody.

They only reflect what we already know. The plots are so certain that no bit of imagination is required. Suspense fails to achieve its goal, as the plots are quite predictable.

And as we gear up for the social forum and the World Cross Country championships that will be held in Mombasa in March, Kenyans would do better with local programmes.

Using the media to market Kenya will ensure economic prosperity as more tourists come to savour what the country offers.

Francis Kahihu
via email