Criticism and attack are worlds apart, treat them as they are

A recent Nairobi newspaper’s page-one “splash” headline was: “ODM blames Ruto for attacks on Uhuru”. That raised a perennial question to Kenya’s newspaper editors. Does to criticise necessarily mean to “attack”? Do I attack you whenever I criticise your English? Contrariwise, I think I only serve your best interests.

But if to criticise is to “attack”, then, shouldn’t politicians be banned from criticising not only one another but also the Government? What then would happen if anybody slapped a ban on all criticism? For, in Kenya, criticism of the Government appears to be the only thing that ever comes out of the opposition politicians’ mouths.

OBJECTIVELY

Constructive proposals and internal party self-criticism seem to be among the negative commandments. I would, however, have no problem even with that if every politician couched every one of his or her critical remark thoughtfully, constructively, politely and in correct language. I would be quite happy if each criticism were immediately followed by a counter-proposal, also expressed attractively, constructively and politely.

Yet, for some reason, politeness is precisely what always refuses to come out of the mouths especially of politicians. The whole world over, especially in Kenya, politicians appear unable or unwilling to treat any topic objectively whenever they criticise both the Government and even of one another. Thus, in Kenya, a ban on rudeness would almost amount to a ban on all criticism, political and otherwise. A ban on criticism would, indeed, amount to a ban on all loud thinking.

Why? For the simple reason that the ability to think is what makes human beings political animals and the ability to think aloud is what makes it possible for a species to act socially.

Yet, in our country, a profusion of personality insults is what often passes as political expression. A daily newspaper’s “splash” headline recently screamed: “ODM blames Ruto for attacks on Uhuru” (Uhuru being the first name of the Kenyan President and Ruto the surname of his deputy).

IMPOLITELY

Because both names Uhuru and Ruto are so short, they are convenient for headlines. Therefore, Kenya’s newspaper sub-editors misuse them liberally, and often impolitely, in headlines.

Although much better known internationally as Kenyatta, our young President’s surname appears banned from the headlines of Kenya’s daily newspapers.

As a former newspaper chief sub-editor and managing editor, I know that it is for the opposite reason that the opposition leader’s first name Raila is so short, that Kenya’s headline writers subject him to the indignity of that first name in headlines every day.

It is thus that both our President and his chief official critic — the opposition leader — are daily subjected to the respective names Uhuru and Raila in newspaper headlines.

But, ladies and gentlemen, politeness pays, so please give your leaders and all headline makers at least the respect they deserve whenever you write anything about them. Especially in the newspapers, please try to treat every Kenyan — and, indeed, every human being — with that same kind of respect all the time.

Mr Ochieng is a seasoned journalist