Press Freedom and Globalisation - International Press Institute
Press Freedom and Globalisation - International Press Institute
Press Freedom and Globalisation - International Press Institute
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<strong>Press</strong> <strong>Freedom</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Globalisation</strong><br />
“TRAGEDY: Boy, 10, kills himself after book row with mother 174<br />
A 10-year-old boy killed himself after quarrelling with his mother over a<br />
lost textbook in Gatuanyaga village, Thika District. Police suspect Kelvin<br />
Muiruri Mburu wanted to escape his mother’s wrath. She is said to have<br />
threatened dire consequences if the mathematics book was not found.<br />
Central police spokesperson Dorothy Kavita said Ms Elizabeth Wangui had<br />
learnt of the book’s loss when a neighbour’s daughter stopped by to borrow<br />
it. […] the boy was found with a rope round his neck hanging from the grills<br />
of his bedroom window. […] ”<br />
“Girl, 4, is rescued by police after rape ordeal 175<br />
[…] the police yesterday rescued a four-year-old girl who had been denied<br />
treatment after a rape ordeal by her uncle at a remote Kilifi village. The girl<br />
was left to nurse her wounds after the incident last Friday after her family<br />
declined to report the matter, fearing a curse by the girl’s gr<strong>and</strong>father believed<br />
to be a wizard. […] repeatedly raped by her uncle […] The girl was too<br />
traumatised to speak about her ordeal. […] the minor’s gr<strong>and</strong>mother, Elisabeth<br />
Muruu […] It is believed that several girls in the area have been defiled<br />
by their relatives […] When the girl was finally brought, she could not st<strong>and</strong><br />
the sight of many people <strong>and</strong> immediately took to her heels. Her mother<br />
Mejumaa Bakari said she had caught the man red h<strong>and</strong>ed defiling her<br />
daughter. […] was shocked to find her daughter naked with the man lying<br />
on top of her. She said her brother-in-law left without uttering a word. On<br />
inspecting her daughter’s clothes she found out they had been soiled.[…] ”<br />
The first example shows the press covering single incidents of suicide. Even if it is a child<br />
who committed suicide, details of the act <strong>and</strong> possible motives are described. The article<br />
includes name of the victim who committed suicide, name of the mother who is both a<br />
victim <strong>and</strong> pointed out as ‘guilty’ as well as details about the course of events. The second<br />
example illustrates how the four year old girl is identified indirectly by use of the mother’s<br />
<strong>and</strong> gr<strong>and</strong>mother’s names <strong>and</strong> location. The uncle is identified in the same way. Some<br />
details about the abuse are revealed to the public too.<br />
‘Privileged information’ explains why some Kenyan cases are covered freely when<br />
others are tied up with anonymity, hidden points <strong>and</strong> modest descriptions – if these are<br />
covered at all. The different publishing practices in different cases reflect areas which are<br />
or are not included in the parliamentary immunity. In Kenya that includes parliamentary<br />
174<br />
Daily Nation, “Boy, 10, kills himself after book row with mother” in Daily Nation (Nairobi: Nation Media<br />
Group), news article, 27 th January, 2005.<br />
175<br />
Mudi, Maureen, “Girl, 4, is rescued by police after rape ordeal” in The St<strong>and</strong>ard (Nairobi: The St<strong>and</strong>ard<br />
Ltd.), news article, 15 th January, 2005.<br />
106
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