Silverio Omari
After shadowy characters leaked the phone numbers of several Citizen TV news anchors online, Kenyans did the unexpected and showed solidarity instead.
The leaks were part of a trend where phone numbers of virtually every Kenyan leader, including the President, were published online with Kenyans encouraged to call or text them under the cheeky euphemism ‘Salimia yeye’. However, these ‘greetings’ were not cordial but profanity-laced sessions where Kenyans unleashed their anger on the targets, cursing them out and warning them of repercussions.
As the attacks on the Kenyan media escalated online, some figures leaked the phone numbers of top Citizen TV anchors and reporters, hoping that Kenyans would flood them with insults and threats. Instead, a majority of the people who got hold of the contacts used the opportunity to praise the news anchors and thank them for their service to the nation, encouraging them to keep going and ignore the negativity.
Some of the Royal Media Services personalities who were graciously greeted and commended for their journalistic efforts included Mashirima Kapombe, Yvonne Okwara, and Group Editorial & Strategy Director Linus Kaikai.
Reacting to the wholesome messages, Kaikai said, “My fellow Kenyans, I am overwhelmed by your countless messages of love, kindness, and encouragement. This was certainly not the intended outcome of that early morning ‘brief’.”
“Thank you for the many calls too; I spoke to a lot of amazing countrymen. Let’s keep talking, loving, and serving Kenya in the best way we can. God bless you all.” Mashirima Kapombe also expressed gratitude, writing, “I don’t think this is what they expected. Thank you for all the kind and warm messages. You all give me hope that Kenya will triumph and we are better together; known and unknown, rich or poor, Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X. God bless you and our great country.”
Yvonne Okwara simply thanked Kenyans for the ‘greetings’, saying, “What a day! Absolute pleasure hearing from you all today. Shukran sana kwa salamu!”
One of the messages directed at Kaikai read: “Dear Linus, your number is circulating online probably shared by government-sponsored goons, but know this, brother, you and your team are doing a good job.”
“When your performance is above their mediocrity and hooliganism, no amount of propaganda will ever make us hate you or harm you. Continue keeping these thugs in their rightful corner. You’re an inspiration to all of us, young or old.”
Amid the anti-media rhetoric, some posters branded ‘Occupy Citizen’ also made rounds online as the media fraternity complained of sustained attacks and even abductions aimed at Kenyan journalists.
Dj Vnyash
