Text of report by Kenyan newspaper The Standard on 18 January
Kisumu-based Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) radio has been off air since ECK [Electoral Commission of Kenya] chairman Mr Samuel Kivuitu, declared President Kibaki winner of the 27 December [elections].
The western Kenya regional station, which broadcasts in eight vernacular languages, went off air on 30 December, moments after a gang raided the facility to protest the outcome of the presidential election.
Yesterday, the area regional controller of programmes, Mr Ntenga Arori, said that the station had suffered acts of arson, looting and damage to its equipment, forcing them to switch off radio broadcasting. Consequently, communities in western Kenya have been denied medium wave radio programmes in Gusii, Luo, Kalenjin, Luhya, Teso, Kuria, Suba and Pokot languages.
The gang burnt two KBC vehicles and three cars belonging to the staff, before damaging three others within the premises, located in Kisumu’s Milimani area. The mob tried to set ablaze the building that houses the studios, but ran out of fuel after torching the vehicles and furniture. They made away with a mixer, smashed a computer, damaged doors, windows and air conditioners, before burning the compound.
A senior officer in the technical department estimated the loss incurred to be 3.5m shillings, excluding cost of revenue from advertising. He revealed that some repairs had been done but radio transmission could not resume due to insecurity.
When the Standard visited the compound, there was an unarmed security guard and the damaged metal gate could not close despite bonfires being lit along Ring Road, 200 metres away. The few employees who milled around said some of their colleagues who hailed from other parts of the country fled.
By yesterday, at least three technicians who fled had not reported on duty for fear of being harmed. They said the demonstrators had vowed to cause mayhem should the station go on air without resolution of the current political crisis.
“Part of the reason for not going on air is because of insecurity, threats to burn down the broadcasting station and Kapsimotwa Transmitting Station in Nandi Hills,” the employees revealed, adding that despite promises, police had failed to provide permanent security at the facility.
(Source: The Standard, Nairobi, in English 18 Jan 08 via BBC Monitoring/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)
