Sparse role for Kenya's media during the reign of Daniel arap Moi

Abstract

During the reign of Daniel arap Moi, there developed a political culture in Kenya whereby the ruling elite preferred the politics of control rather than popular participation. The difference between the State and the ruling party became blurred, effectively sidelining democracy. Organised politics or political activity outside the state-party was criminalised thereby engendering a culture of fear among the citizenry. This article argues that because there was very little room to criticise the ruling party or the President, political sycophancy flourished. Kenya became a closed society where members of the public ended up being “spectators and rumour-mongers rather than actors and commentators”. The effect was that a culture of silence set in on the part of the populace. In this context, the media of public communication could not perform a critical and informative role because of political pressure, intimidation and legal harassment and suppression by the State.