Writes Ndira-Uradi inb Kisumu City.
The chairman of the Luo Council of Elders “Ker” Meshack Ogalo Riaga has extended his words of gratitude and congratulation to the NYANZASTAR weekly and urged its editors to maintain the highest standard of professional ethics.
Mzee Ogalo Riaga said the publication is most welcome a regional media. It is hoped that its editors will maintain the highest standard of journalism and stick to its principles of informing, entertaining and educating members of the public.
“By so doing”, Ker Ogalo Riaga added, ”the paper would only succeed in its endeavor of becoming a strong regional media for the purpose of informing the public all that is happenings within the surrounding districts in Nyanza”.
“The region”, he said, “is rich and fertile of newspaper readership and has been yawning for such publication for too long”.
Ker Ogalo Riaga also appealed to the local entrepreneur to venture into both electronic and printing media enterprises, and at the same advised the Paper’s editors and reporters to maintain what he termed as “positive neutrality and impartiality”.
He told members of the Luo community to embrace the true tenets of democracy by allowing all presidential aspirants, and all those aspiring for elective public offices to go about in their campaigns and canvassing for votes in a free atmosphere which is devoid of intimidation. None of the Luo aspirants should be allowed to visit the region for the purpose of lobbying for votes. Similarly, Luo politicians should visit all parts of the Kenya and campaign for the leaders of their own choice.
Ker Ogalo Raiaga, however, cautioned the Luos against keeping all their eggs in one basket. They should diversify politics and let everyone try his or her luck.
Speaking about the two Luo presidential aspirants, namely the Prime Minister Raila Odinga and the former Foreign Affairs Minister Raphael Tuju, Ker Riaga Ogalo said the two should feel free to visit any part of Luo-Nyanza and canvass for votes. . Luos are democratic minded people, they will vote only or one who can convince him of good things under his or her presidency. ”Please give the electorate free hands to choice whoever they want to lead them on a voluntary basis and not through stones throwing.” He added.
Ker Ogalo Riaga also strongly abhorred those hell-bent on inciting the public or members of the community against their neighbors, adding that the influential members of the Luo community should go out and campaign for the Prime Minister Raila Odinga in the neighboring communities.
Ker Ogalo Riaga also cautioned Luos against those entertaining sugar coated songs and the gospel of communal hatred. He disapproved inciting songs like those of ‘Bado Kuna Mapambano’. “There is no more Mapambano. All the Mapambano {combative politics} ended with the bonfire of independence in June1963.” He said.
He expressed that the community wished not to be locked out of the next government while urging members of the community to exercise the true spirit of love and welcome to all the presidential aspirants campaigning for the top job so as to ensure a pace in the next government. “We want to see that whoever wins the presidency in the next general elections does not single the Luos out for frustration and marginalization”, said Ker Ogalo Riaga.
Ker visited the NYANZASTAR offices in Kisumu while fuming with the joy and carrying a copy of the paper’s second edition and said it was long overdue for the people of Nyanza to have their own regional newspaper. He appealed to the local business community to use the new publication for advertising their businesses to strengthen its publications costs overheads.
Ends