Humour: Peculiar Kenyan Journalism Phrases

Kenyan journalist at work

Within this month the Columbia Journalism Review CJR aked its online readers to give phrases overused by scribes and the ones they wished to disappear from the press.

The phrases given were interesting with ‘-gate’ and ‘-loo’ depicting a scandal being the most favourite. The phrases have already tickled down into Kenyan press.

Recently, Kenyan author of The Peculiar Kenyan and Sunday Nation columnist Sunny bindrah started the same discussion on twitter. The #peculiarkenyanjournalism topic received participation from many Kenyans.

Bindra’s book like the tweets is packed with humor at what makes a Kenyan different even to their detriment. You laugh and later reflect on the collective personality as a country.

Before listing the tweet, media ia a business of selling news and information to a mass market thus the repetitive nature of the phrase may be a form of branding the end product i.e. news and information.

Rama Nyang

"In an exclusive interview...."

salomenduku Salome Nduku

'Naaaaaaaaaammmmm.....'

salomenduku Salome Nduku

'Speaking to reporters at his Jogoo house office...'

ManuelOdeny The Burning Splint

"Na hi ni tarifa ya habari kwanza ni maelezo yake kwa ufupi msomaji ni

sunnysunwords Sunny Bindra

"Speaking on condition of anonymity, seasoned columnist Sunny Bindra implored..."”> Ho ho

hopemwinzi Hope Mwinzi

Recently a headline in the papers- 'Mysterious fire leaves villagers mystified'

StackOfStiffyz Philip Korir

In scenes reminiscent of an action movie, the police exchanged fire with the armed thugs...

shikilia hudson kalama medzad

'impeccable sources intimated that there's a general feeling..'

lechaki Lelei Leley

Outpouring of grief

ManuelOdeny The Burning Splint

"The jam is slow but moving...."

ManuelOdeny The Burning Splint

"(A short footage of chaos) hivi ndivyo mambo yalivyokuwa leo jioni katika barabara ya....."

Richmartz Hassan Mwachili

Basi yatafakari hayo ya babu yangu

StackOfStiffyz Philip Korir

[insert affected group] are bracing themselves for more strikes/higher fares/food shortages etc

CiruWanjii Ciru Wanjii

"Four suspected robbers were gunned down..."

TChenya TC

News anchors: "thank you (insert reporters name) for that story"

ManuelOdeny The Burning Splint

"Mzozo unazidi kutokota kati ya pande mbili pinzani...."

Leleito George Leleito

Unconfirmed reports say...

DavidNdungu David Ndungu

"Reports in a section of the media..." >> then they are quick to add: "Not this paper/station"

maikwambo Michael Kwambo

The Sunday Nation's Rugby reporter wrote that Patrice Agunda suffered a shoulder concussion ?Shoulder concussion?

StackOfStiffyz Philip Korir

'Allegedly....'

earabu Evans Arabu

"according to pundits" or "pundits say"

StackOfStiffyz Philip Korir

'Sources close to...

sunnysunwords Sunny Bindra

"Sources close to the matter..."

valnjogu Val Njogu

'in an unprecedented move'

StackOfStiffyz Philip Korir

Saying someone/something was 'slammed' when the other party just voiced their disagreement cc

nyoike1 Mugo Nyoike-Mugo

"state of the art" , "exclusive", "High-tech", "sleek"

sunnysunwords Sunny Bindra

"Reports in a section of the media..."

sunnysunwords Sunny Bindra

"Property worth millions of shillings was destroyed..."