CABU GAH DIARIES: Investigative Journalism Is A Source Of Entertainment To Kenyans. Not A Wake-Up Call. SAD REALITY.

Unlike in the West,or even other Countries where an expose,or investigative journalism piece is treated with utmost reverence and a call for action and immediate overhaul of a system,institution or the status quo,in Kenya,Investigative journalism is nothing but a morbid source of entertainment.

Mohammed Ali,Kenya’s foremost investigative journalist,started his investigative niche in 2007. At KTN. And today,7 odd years down the dirty line,It is hard to remember a single story that Moha did that ultimately ended up not just shaking the Nation to its core but also bringing about immediate repercussions. Either from the society or government.

Moha has pretty much exposed anything exposable. The Government of Kenya being his pet subject…And yet,even after all these very shocking and horrendous crimes exposed by Moha,the placid Kenyan society has NEVER reacted with rage. Neither has the inherently profligate successive Kenyan Governments reacted in even the slightest way.

For starters,Kenyans actually treat Mohamed Ali’s pieces as a very welcome source of entertainment. And very ample source of memes and internet jokes for atleast a week or two.

Instead of using the internet to call for and DEMAND for change,overhaul of a system,sacking of a corrupt individual,closing down of an institution or jailing of an exposed con,Kenyans have made a very sick habit of turning every investigative piece into some source of entertainment.

Twitter,as well as Facebook,blows up. Every time an expose is done.

But unlike an American Twitter,or an Egyptian or Tunisian Twitter,which,when it blows up,someone has to be sent packing or some government has to crumble,when the Kenyan Twitter blows up…It’s because there are millions of funny messages,memes,trolls,hilarious articles and catchy phrases associated with the Investigative Journalism.

Attention immediately shifts from the potential dangers and the descriptive nature of the investigative piece to a whole new source of comic relief…We joke about anything and everything. And find comic pleasure in almost every scandal and expose….it’s preponderance notwithstanding.

For instance,after the WESTGATE expose by Mohammed Ali,Kenyans turned the whole grim thing into some comic show of sorts…Inundating the internet with endless photoshopped photos of the KDF carrying paper bags…And of Ole Lenku’s many blunders. And turning the Kimaiyo “SIEGE” slip of the tongue into a show in itself.

No one asked hard questions. No Kenyans,except the few usual suspects-Alai,Boniface Mwangi,Betty Waitherero-demanded answers. The rest of the country either slumbered through the expose. Or turned it into some sick comic show.

Again,Moha did the piece on The Artur Brothers…And,once again,Kenyans had found a fresh source of laughter and entertainment. We all forgot the whole gist of such an explosive expose,and only focused on Ciku Muiruri’s little air-lifting shenanigans with one of the Artur condottieres.

Memes and jokes of Ciku Muiruri’s dalliance with the Artur Brothers totally obliterated the essence of the Expose. And we all,as usual,swept everything under the carpet.

And again,Mohammed Ali did the story on Mwende…the prostitute-turned-Church goer who had been contracted and coached to give a false testimony in the Church of the swindler,Pastor Njoroge.

We all swept aside the expose…But shone a very bright light on Mwende’s convoluted mouth…Making thousands of jokes and memes around Mwende’s twisted mouth.

And on the recent Kanyari story,with all the 310 nuances,Kenyans,once again,jumped on the ballooning comic relief.And,armed with some fast internet and photoshop software,Kanyari,once again,offered us some entertainment NO TV series or movie could top.

I could go and on and on and on.

But in the West,for instance,we know of stories like the Watergate Scandal,which were unearthed by brilliant investigative Journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. The expose led to NOT only the shocking resignation of the then US President Richard Nixon but also resulted in the indictment of 69 people,with trials or pleas resulting in 48 being found guilty and incarcerated, many of whom were Nixon’s top administration officials.

There is also the investigative piece by Annirudha Bahal who,in a sting operation,dubbed Red Spiders,exposed the dirty games being played out by the Banks Of India. His expose led to an immediate response from the Indian Government and an investigation by the Government of India was launched immediately leading to the suspension of 18 employees by the ICICI Bank Of India.

And also the other expose by Anna Politkovskaya who unearthed the savage treatment meted out on the Chenchen peoples by the Russian Government. Her expose not only spawned an Award named after her but also was recognized and lauded World over. And went straight to the annals of history. While badly tarnishing the image of the nefarious Russian Government.

We need to STOP treating exposes as sources of comic relief…And start viewing them as wake-up calls. As reasons to be angry. As sources of rage. And as eye-openers to the evil tricks and vicious machinations of the Government.

We need to STOP turning every investigate piece into some Sunday evening free Movie of sorts…We need to stop beautifying crimes by adding color and taste to them in the form of memes and jokes and catchy slogans.

The Nairobi aviation expose,unfortunately,will lead to NO action. No anger and NO reaction…Either by the parents who take their kids to the school,the Government whose bodies monitor the school or the general society which has to live with,employ and consume the faulty services offered by these Aviation cons.

But we’ve all had a full week of the most hilarious Nairobi aviation jokes. SAD.

Exposes are supposed to change the World. Topple Governments,send people packing,cause the loss of jobs and disturb the society.

But,here,Mohammed Ali is simply some channel through which we derive comedy. And week-long jokes.

Very unfortunate.