Panorama on Christmas break

It has largely been a difficult year for me, the main publisher of this blog, as well as two other contributors to this blog.

This ICC business has worsened things!

Anyway, the year is ending nonetheless. We are taking a break up until the first week of the new year. However, if something big comes up, we will be back to publish.

Happy holidays everyone. We see you at the begining of the year.

KBC takes back Channel 2, renames KTV

Kenya Broadcasting Corporation -  KBC - has refused to renew Radio Africa's lease of TV frequency, following a drama earlier this year involving World Cup rights.

Now, the state is taking back Classic TV frequency, and will rename it KTV. Initially, before leasing it to Radio Africa - the company that runs Kiss radio/TV and Classic FM and The Star newspaper - the TV in question was called Channel 2, and way back earlier, Metro TV.

Director of Information and Public Communication Ezekiel Mutua will be directing programmes at KTV, just like the way he personally runs Kenya Today newspaper. KTV will be showing programmes on bee keeping in Gucha, poultry projects in Msambweni, water projects in Lodwar and peace efforts in Transmara... Most of the footage the new TV will be showing are from Kenya News Agency bureaux.

KBC is taking back the frequency after a biter row earlier this issue relating to a World Cup deal. 

Ahead of South Africa World Cup, KBC and Radio Africa struck a deal to jointly air the matches on TV. When the games got underway, it turned out that KBC sold radio broadcasting rights to Citizen radio, and it was not clear also how Milele FM was also broadcasting the same, too.

Radio Africa raised a storm over it and KBC director David Waweru was sacked. And this was when KBC board decided to have Channel 2 (Classic TV) frequency back.

Now, KISS TV has started broadcasting Nigerian movies that used to be broadcast on Classic TV. Kiss TV has also been lying that KISS TV and Classic TV have merged, while the truth is, KBC has taken back the frequency they had leased to Radio Africa.

Emmy Kosgey's Wololoo album

Top Kalenjin name in music Emmy Kosgey is finalizing work on her fourth album to be released early next year. I have had a preview of the lead title in Emmy's new album, and i liked it very much.

The new album will pretty much have a similar sound and tune to her third and biggest album yet, Taunet Neleel. But in the new album, she introduces a blend of English lyrics.

He three albums, Katau Banda, Kaswech and Taunet Neleel have exclusively been in her native Kalenjin. Emmy says she is now seeking to reach more audiences by including stanzas in English.

By the time she finishes work on the new album, Emmy will be hoping to launch her website, http://emmykosgei.com/.

Wololoo (Kalenjin for no way or simply no), or its equivalent, is the title of one of the songs in her upcoming album.

Ocampo six suspects,

Except for perhaps two cases that ICC maw have evidence, proving any case against the rest of the four suspects will not be easy. Here i submit that Francis Muthaura and ex-police commissioner Ali's case may have some substance in light of police killing. But with the rest of the suspects, proving a water tight case against them will not be easy. Mr Kenyatta's Mungiki case needs paperwork for it to go ahead. And for the prosecutor to name President Kibaki's assistant in the name of Muthaura means that idealy, the prosecutor is acting cowardly- because the aide has no orders of his own, rather, the boss'. That is all for now, really.

NTV pirates UK's ITV news bumper

NTV television of Kenya has shamelessly lifted a bumper template belonging to a leading UK television station, changed a few things, and now is the main feature introducing its evening news.

Let me explain. A news Bumper or Bumper Music is a short pre-recorded production element containing voice over music or bed, in this case, used to introduce news programme.

In November 2009, UK's leading private TV channel, ITV re-launched its news bumper , coming up with this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NWleJNfO0g&feature=related. Now, NTV has used the same template, with very similar bed (music) and is now using it in its evening bulletins.

Watch this video when ITV was introducing this bumper and go catch NTV news tonight to understand what I am saying.

I don't know how long this has been running, since I don't watch Kenyan TV as much. But I just noticed this this past weekend. This is quite shameful indeed because there are TV producers who are paid by stations to create new bumpers, trailers and other promotional material to be used in programmes.

Ouko's murder back to haunt Biwott

Nicholas Biwott's prospects of seeking public office in Elgeyo-Marakwet County plummeted today after a parliamentary report prepared five years ago linked him to the murder of Robert Ouko in 1990.

The report, prepared by MPs led by former Kisumu Town East's Gor Sunguh, says Ouko was assassinated at State House Nakuru after he fell out with Biwott following retired President Moi's tour of the USA. The parliamentary report says that evidence showed that Biwott and former Nyanza administrator Julius Kobia were present as Ouko was being abducted by intelligence agents. His charred body was later found in Got Alila, near Kisumu on 13 February 1990.

It has been years, and this is an issue that Biwott wishes could just go away, but it simply cant. It has come back again, with even more questions about if indeed he was behind the murder of the then flamboyant foreign minister. Biwott will not address the media on the subject (yet), helping build a veil of questions among political supporters about what he really knows about this murder.

One thing is clear though, whatever is the truth, political career of the man who makes millions daily from his business empire will hit new low, even probably failing to win senate seat for Elgeyo-Maraket County.

AIC's Yego ''sacks'' Kenyan radio director

The head of the Akamba-Kalenjin dominated Africa Inland Church (AIC), the Rev Silas Yego, is desperately seeking to sack the director of the Biblia Husema Broadcasting (BHB) radio (90.9FM), Rev Christopher Arap Mutai. AIC runs BHB.

Rev Yego, who has been fighting another battle over the church's revised constitution, has written a letter to Rev Mutai, asking him to quit.

I have no idea at all why  Rev Yego is seeking to dismiss the broadcaster of 25 years.

You probably remember Rev Mutai in 80s and 90's for his weekly ''Wimbo Niupendao'' programme on KBC Kiswahili Service on weekends. In 1981, Biblia Husema Broadcasting was brought out from under Africa Inland Mission and placed fully within the Africa Inland Church, and in the same year Rev Mutai succeeded was named the managing director of Biblia Husema Broadcasting.

Over the years, Rev Mutai has been the face that the donors and partners have been dealing with. He has been trusted and BHB funded over the year; in his name. Can someone, privately let us know why Rev Yego wants to sack Rev Mutai?