Save our children from greedy porn peddlers

It should outrage right thinking members of society that obscenity is on the rise in public places. Increasingly, morality is going to the dogs and what was once taboo is gleefully paraded by profiteers who, if left unchecked, will totally erode morals that have been jealously guarded by Kenyan societies since time immemorial.

As reported elsewhere in this paper, Kenyans of highly questionable integrity have gone into the pornography making business, shooting films and exploiting poor men and women.

Most outrageously, the immoral businesses are promoted under the very noses of law enforcement agencies. The people behind this lurid business have been promoting their illicit wares on walls in the backstreets in Nairobi and giving cell phone numbers which interested buyers can call to make purchases.

THIS WEEK, THERE WERE TWO shocking revelations in the news. Information PS Bitange Ndemo told a meeting that Kenyans are now exporting pornographic DVDs to the East and especially China. In Kericho, 24 out of 25 Form One students in one school have dropped out due to pregnancies. There is no telling whether pornographic materials did not help stunt these children’s progress.

The big question is where these materials are produced and how much the young are exposed to the obscene. And if the government knows as much as the export markets for these illicit materials, what have they done to protect the young?

It is worth repeating that displaying or promoting obscenity is illegal in Kenya. It is not much to track down where these businesses are operating, especially when they market themselves even on the streets.

Granted, grown-ups can choose whether or not to consume illicit material and take the consequences with them. The danger is that these materials are increasingly available to pupils and students.

As illustrated in our special report, these materials are finding their way into classrooms and adults are using them to attract children to things they should never learn at their age.

IT MAY HAVE ESCAPED THE NOTICE of those given powers by the law to check such activity, but we call upon them to arise from their slumber and save the country’s children from the greedy and the wayward.

Matters have not been helped by FM stations some of whose presenters – at the altar of attracting listeners and possibly for lack of creative ideas – have made it their business to include vulgarities, obscenities and profanities in their programmes.

Some TV stations have also thrown caution to the wind and parents do not know whether to watch some programmes – aired at prime time – with their children any more.

THE PROGRAMMERS AND PRESENTers would have us believe that they have picked the trend from the West, especially the US. but would be shocked to learn how much these developed societies protect their children and control obscenities. Even where they license brothels, the licensees have to play by certain rules.

The Communications Commission of Kenya has stated that it seeks a meeting with media industry players to discuss how to get these programmes out of the gutter. They promise that by the end of the year, they will start cracking the whip. They need to know that even yesterday was too late.

Granted, the freedom of the Press and the freedom of expression must be safeguarded at all times. But those to whom it is granted must apply common decency, especially when it is meant for mass consumption.