Promote Audiovisual as we commemorate the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage

In 2005, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared every 27th October to be a commemorative day to raise awareness for the significance of recorded sounds and audio visual documents (films, sound and video recordings, radio and television programmes).

The World Day for Audiovisual Heritage is a key initiative for both UNESCO and the Coordinating Council of Audiovisual Archives Associations (CCAAA) to celebrate and honor audiovisual preservation professionals and institutions that help to safeguard this heritage for future generations despite the many technical, political, social, financial, and other factors that threaten its survival. 

This commemorative event is held in many countries organized by several national and regional sound and film archives, broadcasters, museums and libraries.

Particularly, the 2018 World Day for Audiovisual Heritage has the theme “Your Story is Moving” 

The theme specifically encourages a wide and variety of activities based on stories and collections preserved in audiovisual archives. 

This covers a range of items such as people’s stories and narratives that encourages and promote heritage to be geared to the next generations. 

The theme is also a cornerstone that lets both individuals and organizations to invoke emotional connections and meanings that may be appreciated from a collection of audiovisual. 

UNESCO’s main objectives of designating the commemorations are; raising public awareness of the need for preservation; providing opportunities to celebrate specific local, national or international aspects of the heritage; highlighting the accessibility of archives; attracting media attention to heritage issues; raising the cultural status of audiovisual heritage; highlighting audiovisual heritage in danger, especially in developing countries.

UNESCO understands that audiovisual heritage is a very significant part of national cultural heritage. Images and sounds, recorded on film, videotape and audiotape, brings the past to life and establishes a collective memory events, scenes and situations that, without these media, would fade from countries’ memories or only subsist in a motionless, disembodied form.

In Kenya, audiovisual collections are of historical significance and managed by the Ministry of Sports, Culture and the arts through a specialized department, Kenya National Archives and Documentation Service (KNADS).

KNADS was established in 1965 by an act of parliament, cap. 19 of the laws of Kenya. Its mandate is to advice public entities on the creation, care, control and use of public records, acquire and preserve public and private records and archives as well as making records and archives available to users. 

Today, as we commemorate this day, it’s important to understand that audiovisual documents such as films, radio and television programmes are our common heritage and contain the primary records of the history of the 20th and 21st century. 

Unfortunately, in Kenya, this national heritage is now endangered. 

Most sounds recordings and moving images of National benefit to the future generations are deliberately destroyed or irretrievably lost due to neglect, decay and technological obsolescence. 

World Day for Audiovisual Heritage is an important initiative for governments to encourage the role of preservation professionals so as to improve the range of technical, political, social, financial and other factors that threaten the safeguarding of national audiovisual heritage.

Governmental institutions should use WDAH as a mechanism to raise general awareness of the need to preserve and safeguard important audiovisual materials for future generations.

Measures must be taken to conserve this heritage and ensure it remains accessible to the public now, and to the future generations. 

By: Kennedy Sankale

Librarian, Masai Technical Training Institute, Kajiado

Libraries essential component in countries’ plans to boost Literacy

By Kennedy Sankale

September 8th was declared an international Literacy day by UNESCO on October 26th 1966 in its 14th session of general conference, and was celebrated for the first time in 1967.

The day emphasizes the importance of literacy and access to information to individuals, communities and societies.

Having celebrated this year’s ILD on Saturday, it’s important to understand the link between libraries and literacy. The day is, indeed the best opportunity for Governments and other institutions to reflect on the challenges that hinder access to basic information.

Literacy has traditionally been thought of as reading and writing but it encompasses more. Although. It is the ability, confidence and willingness to engage with information to acquire, construct and communicate meaning in all aspects.

What is the place of libraries in this information Age and what’s their role in sustainable development?

Developed countries refer libraries as organizations that offer a platform to access information for education, research, general reading and for leisure.

Institutions tagged “libraries” are synonymous with education and offer countless learning opportunities that fuel economic and socio-cultural development.

Libraries, particularly in developing and under-developed nations, face many challenges as governments struggle to understand and document the role in schools.

Studies in all areas of information science have suggested loopholes hinder growth and development of school libraries.

In Kenya for example, there is no known national information policy that requires primary and secondary schools to have libraries. The responsibility is left to school administrations to build libraries and employ librarians.

There is need to identify the need for libraries in schools and try to have one for each school.

Years back libraries were misidentified as repositories for dusty books, but today’s libraries are actually cutting-edge information hubs designed to help people get the resources, materials and connections that users need, whether for work, school, leisure or any other connected purpose.

As Kenya implements a new education system, it is important to see libraries as the drivers and platforms that promote literacy.

Information access needs to be prioritized in primary and secondary schools by promoting libraries and equipping information professionals with training and knowledge to enable them interact with digital information and disseminate to the users promptly.

Governments should start enacting laws and adopting policies that promote literacy and information retrieval skills.

CRUEL, DONKEYS CONTINUE TO SUFFER IN SILENCE

By Kennedy Sankale

When you step to areas that experience water problem, notably, the first item that will be common to your eyes are hundreds of animal-driven carts. In such areas with water shortage, donkeys are subject to the exercise of pulling the carts, commonly known as Mikokoteni in Swahili. 

Cruelty to animals, also called animal abuse or animal neglect, is the intentional infliction by humans of suffering or harm upon any non-human animal, regardless of whether the act is against the law.

Donkeys awaiting for allocation of duties

Donkeys are among the many animals domesticated by man for more than 5000 years as a mode of transport. Statistics shows that there is at least 40 million donkeys around the world with most of them found in underdeveloped regions. 

It is understood that a donkey or ass was probably one of the first animals to be used for transport and subjected under varied environmental conditions. Donkeys are hardy and willing domesticated beasts of burden and can carry heavy loads of up to 85Kgs. 

History shows that they were mostly adopted in Egypt as the main method of transport as early as 3400BC. During that time, traders would also prefer to use them alongside camels and horses between Nubia and Southern Sudan in transporting items for trading. 

A good number of donkeys are still used today in most communities in Kenya for carrying items such as firewood, agricultural products during harvesting to market places and water. In Ukambani region for example,they are the most suitable mode of transport used in fetching water while in Lamu, donkeys are used to transport people from one area to another. 

Christians understand that donkeys were a great symbol of industry, peace, and at times, wealth. In most cases, we see donkeys serving in many occasions behind the scenes and helping where possible. Even in this current century, they are determined to be the most reliable helpers amongst the pets, surefooted on mountainous terrain, physically hardy in harsh environments and strong burden carriers. 


The worry – Cruelty to donkeys 
In many regions around the country, Donkeys are forced to do more work than what their small bodies can handle and are very poorly taken care of. 

If you take a walk in the streets of Kitengela in Kajiado County, you will notice hundreds of carts driven by exhausted donkeys breathing deeply due to tiresome loads of containers containing water. They normally pull a cart containing tens of heavy containers throughout the day.

Owners will always strive to ensure that they fetch as much water as they can in a single day and this leads to beating up the donkeys with hard objects causing injuries and scars on their bodies. The do not bother about planning for a veterinary care program to the injured donkeys.

The owners are normally much more interested with the profits they make at the end of the day and do whatever they could to ferry as much water as they can, not caring about what and when the donkey will feed. This is cruel. 

It is a sad irony that it’s a donkey’s ability to suffer in silence that has made it the most abused animal in different regions around the country. Docile and trusting, with its doleful eyes and long ears, the donkey stoically carries on the pain when injured, hiding its sufferings. So it’s unfair destiny has historically been one of cruelty and mistreatment. 

Head hanging down, the donkey struggles pressing on in the blazing heat, pulling an extraordinary heavy cart filled with containers of water. Pulling a cart that weigh more than itself, the skinny animal sometimes get tired, but is urged on by the owner who hit anywhere in its body with sticks. This is shocking as donkeys in hundreds still have to endure great suffering where humans treat them like machines. 

Most of the animal-pulled carts are made up of heavy metallic materials which in itself can lead injuries. While they spent a whole day working, the possibility is that, they can go without food as the owners may not be interested to establish a good feeding program for them. 

Kenya Society for the Protection and Care to Animals will have to set in and advance the regulations and laws to save the donkey in Kenya. It is important to present operating regulations to anyone who uses a donkey to make money. It should be an offence to the owners if they let their donkeys to suffer in injuries and scars due to beatings. There is need to state the maximum amount of loads that the donkeys should carry at an instance. It is also very important to step in and ensure that donkeys are not subjected to work for a whole day; the owners should let the work in specific hours. 

A deliberate action to save the donkey will need to be negotiated with concerned authorities. Kenya Society for the Protection and Care to Animals should work with the country administration and the counties to establish and adopt outlets of protecting this unique animal.

THE ECONOMICS OF CORRUPTION - CASE OF "BELLING THE CAT"

By Kennedy Sankale

Long time ago, there lived a colony of mice. The mice were so troubled due to the cat who never gave them freedom to walk in and dine in man’s home. 

One day, the mice organized a meeting, the agenda being the cat. The main goal of the meeting was to decide a good solution to free themselves of the enemy, the cat. The mice were so determined to come up with the best strategy to control their enemy.

They wished to find some way of knowing when she was coming, so that they might have time to escape. Something had to be planned because they lived in constant fear of the cat’s claws that they hardly dared to stir from their den by night and day. 

During the meeting, many plans were discussed on the table, but there was no plan which was thought to be good enough to control the cat. At last, a young mouse took the stage in the meeting and said, “I have a very simple solution and I know this will be very successful should we consider it. All we have to do is to look for a bell and hang it about the cat’s neck. When we hear the bell ringing we will immediately know that the enemy is coming, which will prepare us to run away before he’s on us. All the mice were so happy about the plan and surprised that they never thought about such a plan. While in the midst of rejoicing over the good fortune brought by the young mouse, an old mouse arose and said “I want to say that the proposal by the young mouse to hang the bell about the cat’s neck can be a good solution for us, but I have one question, WHO WILL BELL THE CAT?” All the mice that were present in the meeting started pointing fingers on each other. Everyone who was proposed to bell the cat gave an excuse, others complained that they fear more scratches on their bodies as a result of injuries as they escape the enemy, while others said they can’t bell the cat because they were still nursing injuries as a result of hit of objects while running away from the enemy. 

It is one thing to state that something should be done, but quite a more different matter to take the initiative of implementing the proposed idea.  

Synopsis and Idiomatic use 
“Belling the cat” is a fable also known under titles, “The bell and the cat” and The mice in the council” The synopsis and idiomatic use of this fable concerns a group of mice who debated plans to nullify the threats of a marauding cat, where they planned to hang a bell on the cat’s neck but everyone gave excuses and no one dared to bell the cat. This means attempting to perform a difficult or impossible task. In the case of this article, corruption is depicted as “the cat”, the colony of mice depicted as the community. There is a very interesting question that every community member keeps on asking one another, “Who will Bell Corruption”

Economics of Belling Corruption “The Cat” 
Corruption is evil. It is a threat to the community that everyone admires to bell, only to find it one of the most difficult task. In the case where the community (mice) is the victim of corruption (cat) and the owner of the cat is the entity that performs corruption, it is so obvious that belling instances of corruption and related cases would be an ideal plan so that we can always hear the enemy coming. 

The economy of corruption is a complicated mix of different elements where there are more opportunities for illicit gains that usually exist in all entities. There are a number of factors that determine the size and the incidences of bribe payments and grafts in different countries and such comes in with the political, socioeconomic and distributive consequences of corruption. 

Most economists say that bribes and grafts occur under two main reasons; to gain government benefits and to avoid costs. There are cases like for instance the bribes received by most of traffic departments in different countries. This comes in because where the car owners think they may pay more on penalties when arraign in courts, they will always pay for bribes to avoid the rule of law taking out its course. 

On the other hand, where the security departments think that they do not have enough salary in their pockets at the end of the month, they will always strive to accept bribes to cover up their daily expenses. In public offices, notably are individuals who obtain money from members of the community in the aid of securing jobs for them. This can be a 50/50 gain. Where a jobless person buy out a position, they gain for giving out money. This is neutralized by a person who sees his/her salary too little to manage the daily chores and expenses getting an extra shilling to survive. The citizens continue to press the public officials to bell corruption, very interestingly, it should be the officials’ role to ask the community to act as the watchdogs and abstain from anything which does not rime with the law. 

There is normally little evidence in most countries on how often the leadership, in both public and private sectors as well as individuals take the most advantage on corrupt loopholes and how much amount is directed to bribes. Research reveals that where corruption is endemic, it usually imposes disproportionality high burden to the common citizens and more so to private and medium firms. The severities in the cost of corruption aren’t bribes themselves, but most important is the underlying reveled in the process of corruption. Researchers suggest that the root causes of corruption lies in the delegation of power. 

The discretionary use of power, especially in leadership and monopolistic status by the public individuals who enjoy dealing with contracts often makes corruption imminent. In this case of power, corruption normally presents itself in a point where the political, bureaucratic and economic interests coincide. 

Corruption in a market, is a product which is based on a contract or an agreement between different interests by firms, pressure groups and citizens trying to maximize gains by paying bribes, while officers in public domain try to maximize their illegal earnings and politicians try to maximize their power and wealth: this is a standalone reason as to why it will take a longer than expected time to bell corruption. 

The cost of corruption in a country can be very difficult to estimate, often because of the secrecy in it and distortions caused are hard to tell. Corruption will still be present in developing countries and is such a difficult task to neutralize as long as it is difficult for the mice to bell the cat. 

“Who will bell corruption?

VOTING OUT KATOO IS DANGEROUS

By Sankale Kennedy

I humbly want to take this opportunity to bring some light to the residents of Kajiado South on why it is important to vote in Honorable Katoo Metito. For a necked fact, everyone will agree with me that reelecting him is the best option that we currently have.

I have gone through a lot of opinions from individuals in Kajiado South, where some of them think that taking a change is suitable to the community, and to them, they want to reconsider a new individual in for Kajiado South Member of Parliament.

First of all, analyzing their opinions; I want to say that voting is merely a collective decision, it is a democratic right for every Kenyan to cast their vote to candidates of their choice. Having this in mind, I want to put it clearly that voting out Katoo is one very poor decision that we have to work away with. Everyone needs to take a quick look at the status of Kajiado south issues and interest of the community, why we need to reinstate Ole Metito and why we have to support his bid even in the future.
To start with, the most obvious argument that all Kajiado south residents need to look at is: The relationship between the incumbent and the governments and other institutions. We have to first of all have in mind that, bringing in a new face for this seat may take the longest time to establish a link with governmental institutions and other areas that touches the interest of the community. Katoo Ole Metito is a one man that for the last couple of years, has been able to build a good relationship locally and nationally with such entities. Voting in a new face, to me, will take many more years to establish a good link with institutions. But why do we need this link to be continued? Of course we know that the Katoo factor has contributed to a good number of known individuals from south securing top slots both in County and National Government. This can only be done under an MP who knows very well how to approach the mentioned institutions, how to maintain a long term relationship with the entities and who to welcome as a friend to empower members in the community. I want to be very clear here, take a scenario where a person like Lalaito may take the day to be the next MP: what will PNU give back to the people of Kajiado south? This is exactly what we have to look at before the general elections. Where will we put our hope? Who should lobby out the resources from the party to the community?

Secondly, I want to bring this to your attention; Mheshimiwa Katoo has managed to relate very well with all groups and individuals in Kajiado south. I have, truly speaking, never had a single complain from the the community under grounds of discrimination due to tribalism, age sets and age groups and clan reasons. Issues of resource sharing, have been in equal distributions under the leadership of Katoo. Although minor complains are always leading the line in results of good leadership, I have witnessed such being handled with very special attention. This is widely enjoyed due to the very special relation that comes in between Metito and the public. I think there is no better alternative to make this better other than reelecting Honorable Katoo.

Thirdly, I want to mention about the issue of Maasai Kingpin declaration; It is indeed very important to noticed that every region from Narok to Kajiado, except few cases like Kajiado South and East, are sticking with an mp who can dare strange decisions for the betterment of the community's future. If every region is then proud of their prominent representative, why can't we, at least for now, show that Metito is our prominent representative, who can be the next big brain in this community? If, for instance, we go for Lalaito or someone else other than Katoo, how long will it take to battle the ground for the benefit of the community? Ten years, twenty years or three decades? You can read my mind and see what I stand for. He is not entirely the MAA kingpin, but for now he's the pride of Kajiado South residents.

Lastly, there is a very good record of developments and job creations in Kajiado South due to the Katoo factor. We have seen issues like problem of water and access to social services being dealt with in the right manner as a result of Katoo's reign. Needles to say, education has been improved in the last few years. Distribution of CDF bursaries to fund residents' fee requirements is absolutely on a very fair share. Availing the same for construction of educational facilities and renovation of the existing ones is one development idea that everyone can appreciate. Infrastructure development is indeed the best part of this development that will never go unnoticed. Before the implementation of devolved system of governance and devolution of services, Ole Metito was doing every area of infrastructure to ensure that there is equally economic development around the region. We cannot do better to appreciate this other than reelecting Honorable Metito for Kajiado South Member of Parliament.

With this said, I hereby want to state that, there is no any single harm in taking the bravest opinion to reelect Katoo. Arguments ranging from good relationship with the governmental organizations, parastatals and relationship with the community are the guiding opinions as to why we should go for Mheshimiwa Katoo.

The future of an Elephant in Kenya

The game of poaching in most parts of Africa is exposing the elephants to a risk of extinction in the near future. According to National Geographic Ivory-seeking poachers have killed 100,000 African Elephants in just three years.

It is evident that there is a big decrease in elephants population in the country which is not only triggered by poachers, but also as a result of killings due to human wildlife conflict. In April 2016, the largest ever pile of ivory was set alight, which according to sources, was seven times bigger than any other ivory fire in the history of Kenya. A good question that anyone would be interested in, is what is the source of such products? Maybe it will take years to give an appropriate answer to this.

As long as we are interested in curbing poaching and ending ivory trade networks, it is indeed very important to evaluate the role played by pastoralist communities in addressing the problems faced in wildlife conservation. One thing that we have to understand, is that pastoralist communities can be a gateway to provide one of the strategies towards protecting the wildlife. We have had cases where such communities are very close to wild animals and it is not a surprise that even wild animals, and especially elephants, are aware of them. Incorporating support from pastoralists is important to acquire basic information on what they know about poaching as most of them graze near wildlife conservation areas. It doesn't have to mean that they will be charged with the responsibility of arresting poachers, but bringing them closer to the rangers and organizations responsible for wildlife conservation will be a one step forward in mitigating the poaching menace. The ivory trade, which promotes poaching in Kenya is a problem that if the community living with the wildlife is involved, may help kick out the problem by providing significant information.

Poaching is not the only factor that ends up decreasing elephants' population, human wildlife conflict, although not a major factor also contributes killing the wild animals and more so, the elephants. Human wildlife conflict in some areas, comes in as a result of limiting the free movement of the animals. The conflict is propelled by a number of factors, the major one being cultivation of regions purposely isolated for wildlife movement, sometimes referred to as corridors. Usually, cultivation comes with temporary and permanent residential structures where farmers stay while undertaking daily duties. A good example is the case of kimana area where Amboseli National Park is located. In this scenario, land has been subdivided and every member got a piece, thus they can always do  what they feel it is of benefit to them. As the elephants move from the park to alternative conservation areas, it is evident that the cultivated areas are in problem. Although elephants killing as a result of human conflict has greatly reduced, it is important that alternative actions are taken to prevent destruction of crops by elephants in areas near the parks and other wildlife conservation regions.

I am of the opinion that there should be thorough training and advocacy, aiming to inform the communities the role played by the wildlife. It should be noted that as long as plans are underway to protect crops and human lives against elephants, land use and management must be clearly planned to make decisions on how to run both wildlife conservation and crop cultivation.

Wildlife conservation needs a collective responsibility which should start with the community, stretches to the government through mandated organizations to the international stakeholders.

The 21st Century Irony on Kenyan School Libraries

Today I must appreciate the fact that Kenya has been on the right move in embracing the current technology.

A lot has been done in almost all sectors, especially the education sector where access to information is advanced.

Although we appreciate all that has been implemented especially access to information, I must say that there is a big concern when it comes to school libraries. I actually managed to be in many primary and secondary schools, and I must say that in most of school libraries the situation is sorry.

I can't imagine that in this century, we still have libraries that store their publications in wooden shelves and they still hire cooks and watchmen to head the library.

This is one situation that if we critically look at, it may be the reason as to why reading culture is not embraced in school libraries. This being the case, we can't blame the poor results we have been  recording in some institutions and we can as well not blame the situation of exams cheating which has seen many candidates' results cancelled.

My opinion to this; as long as there are several solutions to both poor results and exams cheating, reading culture should also be part of the solutions. But the big question is who is in charge of this?

The only way to do this is by first of all institutionalizing school libraries and then employing qualified information professionals who will basically introduce information literacy programs and find a way of improving the access to the collection. This one will require several departments to work together and ensure that the information needs of the teachers and students are properly addressed.

If this will be considered then there will be a sense of job creation and also upgrade of school libraries.