karibu magazine 3rd edition

FROM A GRASS- THATCHED MUDHOUSE TO CEO
Ezekiel Mutua
As the head of the State’s content
regulating corporation and a parent,
how do you ensure your children’s
use of the internet does not corrupt
their safety?
It’s a very difficult aspect of parenting. I
always pray for them and advise them.
In respect to social media, I know that
you can’t win the war by denying them
this access. It only spikes their curiosity.
We have conversations about the good
and the bad. Internet is powerful,
good for information and education,
which definitely opens their world
view. I’ve given them access to all the
technology kids can have at their age,
legally, and with guidance and proper
surveillance to ensure it is not harmful.
My wife is a career educationist who’s
very good at detecting things and
having these conversations. We do it as
a team. I want them to have the best
and interact with technology but also
understand that it’s a double edged
sword. We teach them to avoid harmful
content such as detecting bullies and
saying no to online harassment, of
not only them but other people too. My
youngest son has a phone but he knows
when to deliver it to our bedroom. He only
gets it over the weekend. Even then he has
to balance its use. There is a time to play
outside with other kids and time for family
games.
What other rules do you have in place?
Right now we’ve put a caveat that there
are no sleep overs and not because I don’t
trust their friends’ parents. They will grow
up, leave home and sleep wherever they
want to, but for now, I just want to spend as
much time as I can with my kids knowing
that they are safe under our wing. Of course
they protested but they understand that
you don’t always get what you want in life.
That brings us to discipline which some
people often confuse with punishment.
How do you go about it?
I don’t believe in crude methods such as
physical or emotional abuse as forms of
discipline. The idea of discipline is to restore
not to destroy. Punishing is not the way
to go. We always talk about things. Life
is about rules and regulations and there
are consequences when they are broken.
Children need to be taught that we are all
accountable for our deeds. There are rules
at home and they have to be followed as
long as they are under my roof. I make sure
I’m present in their life in order to guide
them. Because of the nature of my job and
my wife’s, we may occasionally spend long
hours at the office or even travel but always
ensure we spend quality time together.
Do you ever worry that they may get a
wrong image of you from what they see
on TV or social media?
No, I don’t because my family knows me.
Sometimes I end up in the media where
people may be bashing me and my
younger son will come to me and reassure
me that it’s going to be okay. And in that
moment, those words are so powerful and
mean the world to me.
There has been a public outcry that you
stifle local content but allow foreign
material to air even when they bear
the very nature that you censor the
former for. Is it true that the yardstick is
unequal?
We fairly analyse all content. We block a
lot of foreign content if it doesn’t abide
by the rules, which are universal. We are
not against the local creatives. People
want to create content that is against the
dominant values of our people and that is
not acceptable. Our decisions are informed
by law, rationality and fairness. Sometimes
we make mistakes and it’s normal but we
try to minimize such issues. We are only
encouraging a space where art and film
speak to the dominant values of the Kenyan
people. Film and media set the agenda.
The fact that we are against homosexual
content doesn’t mean we have a personal
vendetta against the LGBTQ community.
We don’t hate them. We are going into a
direction where we are amending some
rules so that our work becomes advisory
and inclusive but still protect children from
mature content.
Lastly, do you feel like your work as KFCB
chief is unappreciated by the people you
serve?
Our role as regulator of film and broadcast
content is very important. As the CEO
and accounting officer, I take the blame if
anything goes wrong. Regulation is about
dos and don’ts and that is not an easy job.
I’m aware of my mandate and you can’t be
a regulator if you want to be liked. Most of
the time, regulation is not popular because
you are denying people something and
especially in an industry that is on a free-fall
like media. I’m here trying to promote our
culture, national aspirations and morality,
in a world bombarded with foreign
content, negative ideologies and mediocre
sensationalism. I’m not looking for approval
from people, but I appreciate that there
are people who see what I do. People who
matter to me, my wife and sons appreciate
the work I do. I want to make a difference
by balancing between regulation and
freedom of expression. Sometimes we have
to make hard decisions and that naturally
3RD EDITION | JULY 2018 25