Thursday 27 January 2011

Reuters to Close Africa Journal, Cut Jobs

Thomson Reuters is closing its weekly TV news magazine Africa Journal.


The high quality programme that is packaged in Nairobi by a team of about 10 producers working under Nina S. will be running three or so more series before closing sometime in February or early March.


It is such a difficult time for the producers and contributors who now stand a big chance of losing their jobs.


Contacts say the closure of the programme has got nothing to do with loses that Reuters may have been making. Actually, the agency has been making money. It is then possible that Reuters wants to concentrate on their core business - data, numbers and busines risk analysis. By the way, news is not Reuters' main business, although they are in serious competition with AFP, not as much with AP.


But the decision to close Africa Journal is quite odd when other media outless are investing more in programmes on Africa.


Africa Journal is syndicated in many countries in Africa. In Kenya, it airs Thursday night on KTN, after fleeing NTV.

Wednesday 26 January 2011

SK, Raila agree on Kibaki succession

The immensely wealthy businessman, Samuel Kamau Macharia or simply SK, the owner of Royal Media Services, has set his eyes on Kibaki succession in a strategic positioning to ensure his businesses continue surviving.

Over the years, SK has been Mwai Kibaki's supporter, and even the output of his media empire, Citizen TV, radio and eight vernacular radios attests as to that.

But now, he has spoken out publicly against Kibaki's apparent endorsement of Uhuru Kenyatta/William Ruto/Kalonzo Musyoka (KKK) and company, to seek his blessing to take over power from him when he retires next year.

While attending a rally in company of Petter Kenneth and Kibaki's second wife, Mary Wambui, four days ago, SK publicly spoke out against KKK. He rarely speaks publicly like so.  

He may have realized that Raila Odinga will win next year's presidential elections. (I don't think it will be easy for Odinga to win the poll; he may not win). Just days earlier, on 24 January, Kibaki had attended a rally in Eldoret in what was seen as tacit endorsement of Ruto/Kenyatta's fight to succeed him after late next year.

Earlier, it had been thought that Kibaki may endorse Odinga for president next year. But that now appears to have been misplaced. I have said in the past that had it not been for the ICC, Kibaki would have not been interested in his succession. But now, with ICC seeking to try his aide, Francis Muthaura (and to some extent Kenyatta over Mungiki), Kibaki knows that he needs somebody he can trust to remain in office.


Kibaki does not trust Odinga in office as president to ''protect him'', and he is considering backing Kenyatta/Ruto; or at least people who have been in KANU and who he can do business with.

Contacts say Odinga's aides have told him that he cannot receive Kibaki backing in next polls. That's why Odinga has gone on overdrive against KKK and people who used to serve in KANU and generally Moi's system. So that leaves SK and Odinga on the same political footing!

Nobody knows whether Odinga and SK have met, but since he is a shrewd business person, SK will definately want to protect his business empire, even it it means completely abandoning Kibaki.

Thursday 6 January 2011

Henry Kosgey parts ways with Raila Odinga

Henry Kosgey is quite bitter with Raila Odinga and for sure, he is only buying time before he parts ways with him.

The arrogant and wealthy Kalenjin politician is mad at Odinga for seemingly being a hypocrite.

Two things have irked Kosgey so much that on 15 December last month, he shouted obscenities against Odinga in presence of his bodyguards and assistants. Then, after ICC prosecutor named him among five other potential suspects of the 2008 violence, Kosgey really wanted to part ways with Odinga but thought to hold on and see how the ICC business gets along.

This past week, he made a final decision to part ways with Odinga, but he is only buying time. What has angered him is that Odinga has not spoken out publicly in support of him over the car importation issue that has now become a court case.

Kosgey is angry that Odinga knew all along that he was being investigated by the anti-corruption agency but did not inform him of the issue. And he is saying, Odinga has not spoken publicly in his support, even knowing that the issue at hand is more or less a technicality - he merely used a law that is in the country's statute books to grant waivers on the importation of about 100 cars

Earlier, after ICC prosecutor named him, Kosgey seems convinced that Odinga knew all along that he is in Ocampo list, but it was only a few hours before being named, that Odinga's aide, Karoli Omondi told him that he was in the list. He was so shocked.

Aides have spoken to this blog about Kosgey's thinking, going forward from here. He does not trust Odinga anymore. It appears then that he is waiting to be ''cleared'' of the two issues before he calls it quits.

And by the way, Kosgey and William Ruto have been speaking in recent days since these issues came up. It is not clear what they have been telling each other.

Fact file:
Kosgey is the second longest serving MP after President Kibaki. He is quite rich. He is very arrogant. He comes third among Kalenjin's wealthy people; after Moi, Biwott and Kulei.
He has been charged with 12 counts of abuse of office relating to the import waiver he granted.
He has been involved in some other scandals in the past.
He can sponsor parliamentary candidates by himself in the entire Rift Valley.

Sunday 2 January 2011

Panic over looming job cuts at Citizen TV

Royal Media Services (Citizen) is considering laying off some of its staff, even as top managers at the firm continue hiring news reporters.

A final decision has not been made yet on sacking some staff, mostly in TV, while putting more pressure on the marketers to do more to bring in more advertisers.

However, it is likely that a decision to lay off some staff will be effected from February this year. I have been hearing about this from friends who work with the company, but have often ignored until this week, when, with the new year, a final word on lay offs seems on the cards.

It is not really clear why the company is seeking to cut jobs, because they have been making good money - real good money. And because of the sense of uncertainty, some staff are now getting worried that the firm may soon resemble Nation Media Group - where job guarantee is almost non-existent.

Happy New Year 2011

Hey, we are back! 

Hope your New Year 2011 is looking good for you. 2010 indeed was a difficult year, we hope this 2011 will bring new tidings your way.

In this blog, we don't publish information without appropriate sourcing. We will remain so in the new year. If you want to tip us on anything, please do, privately on uru.eke@gmail.com

Once again, we wish you all the best in the New Year!

Panorama