GAY MAGAZINE EDITORIAL ON MUFFLED KILLER

The harsh, the not-so-harsh and the favorable comments have died down now, though many people who watched Muffled Killer are still surprised. Yesterday evening (February 28) I had a session with Daystar University's MA Media class to discuss the story. Clearly, this is a story that has had a huge impact in society. Many members of the gay community were however unhappy with content of Muffled Killer; they accuse the reporter (myself) of homophobia. On the other hand, some religious leaders were equally unhappy and interpreted the story as a ploy to promote homosexuality in the Kenyan society. In this month's edition of the Identity magazine targeting the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Inter-sex community, editor Dennis Nzioka lays bare his opinion. Read on...

Gilgil Hills on K.C.P.E. Scandal

The private schools association is now offering to regulate its members as the ministry of education embarks on investigating malpractices perpetrated by the private schools. This comes just two days after KTN exposed tricks private schools use to rank among top performers nationally. This year's giant that was later relegated to position two nationally, sought to clarify its position against claims by parents that the school had segregated weak students from top performers and registered the two lots in different centers to enhance its mean score. I interviewed school director Isaack Kamunya and compiled this story. video

K.C.P.E. Private Schools Scandal

Are you transferring your child to a school that ranked top ten in previous years' national examination results? Well, a KTN investigation has revealed the devious tricks private schools use to dupe academically weak candidates and their parents to protect their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education rankings. Well known private primary schools have been caught in a KCPE registration scandal that education minister professor Sam Ongeri now says will lead to immediate closure of such schools when investigations are completed. video

CRIMINALISING HIV TRANSMISSION?

"A former sex worker from Kitchener, Ontario been sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to criminal negligence causing bodily harm and sexual assault.Lara Dick, who tested positive in 2006, ..."
"A 33 year-old man from small town Villa Grove, Illinois has pleaded guilty under Illinois' "criminal transmission of HIV" law for having unprotected sex with a woman without disclosing his HIV status. This ..."
"A 37 year-old man from Sterling, Illinois has been charged under the state's "criminal transmission of HIV" laws, even though "the actual transmission of HIV is not a required element of this crime." It is ..."

From Ontario, Canada to Illinois, USA... people are facing serious law suits for 'transmitting HIV.' In Kenya no one has yet sued another for HIV infection. But are the excerpts shown above a sign of things to come? Otiende Amolo is a Nairobi-based lawyer who played a big role in hte drafting of the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Act (2006) says it would be extremely difficult to prove a case of HIV infection. In a related video, he argues that Science and consent issues would stand in the way of proving 'beyond reasonable doubt' that a suspect deliberately infected a person with the virus. One it may be difficult to prove a suspect was aware of his/her HIV status at the time of consummation. Secondly, the window period (the duration during which available tests cannot detect presence of the HIV) can take a while, meaning a test taken a month ago may not be a true representation of one's current HIV status. Amolo says a case of criminal HIV infection has to be deemed outrageous.

Taking ARVs 'a small part of life'

Alice has lived with HIV for 16 years. She is on ARVs and living a normal and productive life. She takes her ARVs at 8.00 in the morning and evening without fail. In this clip I traveled with her to the market at 7.30a.m. and witnessed her swallow the medicine at the market (video). Her determination to live life in spite of stigma associated with HIV is rubbing off on her neighbors. Way to go for PLWH!

RITE OF PASSAGE

A man is caught and forcefully circumcised. Reason? His neighbours insist he has to adhere to their tradition before he can continue living with a girl from their community. The 'male circumcision' craze has hit Kenya. A nod from the government, and more importantly from Luo Members of Parliament, just validated this injustice. It is a case of a noble course misintepreted to validate skewed opinions. One thing we journalists must always assert as we report on male circumcision as one of the way of reducing HIV infection is: it is VOLUNTARY.