READERS HAVE THEIR SAY

You blacked us out

You used a picture of us holding placards to demonstrate against the enactment of County Government Retirement Scheme Act, 2019 to illustrate another story headlined "Savers in danger of old age poverty, says report" (Sunday Nation, November 24, 2019). Yet you did not mention a word about us or our protest, which took place on Thursday, November 21, 2019. The new law we were demonstrating against has revoked our pension scheme known as The Local Authorities Pension Trust Rules, 2007, which means that in five years time 9,000 pensioners will not be receiving any pension. We pensioners didn't take it kindly that you gave us such a blackout during an important day when senior citizens were protesting against this deliberate marginalisation, yet you found it necessary to use our picture.

— CHARLES MUIRURI

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Waiguru or Kamotho?

I've noted with concern that the mainstream media, including Daily Nation, refer to Kirinyaga Governor Anne Mumbi Kamotho as Anne Waiguru. Now, this is a lady who not only divorced her first husband publicly but also went ahead to have a grand wedding with her present husband lawyer Kamotho Waiganjo. In my opinion, not only is this wrong but also disrespectful to her and her husband. The public, too, doesn’t know what led to their estrangement (with Mr Waiguru). To tread on the safer ground, I think it would be only fair to refer to her with the preferred name Anne Mumbi.

— RUTERE MUTUANGA

Public Editor: The official Kirinyaga County website refers to her as Anne Waiguru. However, in a story published in NMG's Nairobi News on August 7, 2019, she said she has dropped her ex-husband’s name following her wedding to Mr Waiganjo. “On my name, we will communicate officially on the branding. For now, you can call me Anne Mumbi or Anne Mumbi Minji Minji or Anne Mumbi Kamotho Minji Minji … whichever. It’s just a name,” she is quoted telling journalists.

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Sonko leaking error

This must be one of Daily Nation's most terrible grammatical errors ever: “As Mr Sonko leaks his wounds, the details of an explosive affidavit filed by EACC to win Thursday’s case, which the Saturday Nation has obtained, paint a picture of a complex web of corruption at City Hall, with the governor at the centre (“Graft: EACC lays bare Mike Sonko's ‘fraudulent dealings’”, November 23, 2019.

—+254 725 325 XXX

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Kenyan English

Your write-up, “A case for Kenyan English or an act of 'murdering' the language?” (Daily Nation, November 22, 2019) was spot on. Indeed, it seems like we have “Kenyan English” which only Kenyans can understand and interpret without raising any qualms. Just as you noted, Philip Ochieng has several times (not severally) talked about the right usage of “avail” but both the editors and majority of the readers seem not to be bothered by the misuse.

—PETER KAMURI

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Muddled facts on Gandhi

Mulango Baraza, quoting Karongo Mbui, said the only Gandhi who became prime minister of India was Indira Gandhi (“Readers Have Their Say,” Daily Nation, November 1, 2019). That's incorrect as her son Rajiv Gandhi took office as prime minister soon after his mother, Indira Gandhi, was assassinated in 1984. He became the youngest prime minister at the age of 40. Unfortunately, he was also assassinated on May 21, 1991.

—TIM LYANI

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Humourless cartoons

Is it a must that our editorial page must have a cartoon? Our current cartoonist has no humour. Though I've an average education, many times I don't understand his cartoons or see the fun. Please NMG, find a better cartoonist.

—MWANGI GATUMBU

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Humorous articles

I appreciate your consistency in informing, improving, and educating the public. I'm inquiring what a freelance writer needs to publish humorous articles in any of your platforms.

—DAVID MUTUSYA

Public Editor: Study the publication you are targeting to see if they publish the type of humorous articles you have in mind. Then, depending on your findings, pitch your article ideas to the editor.

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Our Heritage series

I am inquiring if the “Our Heritage" column published on page 2 of the Daily Nation is only for Nation Media Group journalists.

—STANLEY WAITAGEI

Public Editor: Anybody, including freelancers, can write. At the end of each article in the column the following note is appended: “Is there a site you want us to feature? Write an e-mail to [email protected]"

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Article truncated

I feel sometimes feature articles should be published in their entirety to retain their original meaning. Truncating them to fit space casts them as news written in the inverted pyramid format, which easily lends itself to truncation. My article, “Danger of lifting up local languages” published in the Saturday Nation (November 16, 2019) was truncated out of meaning.

—HENRY LISEGE