ToTheStar,Congratulations!

Invited Guests, Distinguished stakeholders, Ladies and

gentlemenof thepress,goodmorning. Ithankyoufor
bestowingonmethishonourtoaddressyou.
IhavebeenalongtimereaderofTheStarlong,longago
beforeyoubecamethismainstream.Therewasatimeyoutook
everythingyoureadintheStarwithapinchofsalt.Youhad
to countercheck with the Standard or Nation. I can
confidentlysaythismorningthatthattimeisnowadistant
past,ananecdoteinyourhistory.
ThegrowthofthispaperistestamenttothefactthatKenya
can change. After nearly 100 years of the Nation and
Standard,theStaristheonlylivingnewspaperwecantoday
sayevolvedinpostindependentKenyatosignificantlycreate
anicheforitselfandhashugelysucceededindoingso.
Congratulations.
IknowothernewspapersarejuststartingincludingoneI
hearisforus(ODM)buttheyarewhatwecancalltoddlers.
TheStarhascomeofage.Youarenowadultsinthisgame.
Again,congratulations.

JustasIsupportedyourworkwhenyouwerenotyetonyour
feetbybuyingandreadingtodayIcanconfidentlysayIdo
evenmore.
Iamtodayoneofyouractivenewssources.SometimesIact
asa'confidentialsource'.Sometimeswhenthenewsroomis
dryIdoreceiveyourcalltospiceupastory.Manyatimes
youhaveemailedandphonedmetogetmyresponseonrecord
whilereportingonthe'bigman'ImeanmybossRaila
AmoloOdinga.
In fact, sometimes you even ask me about Jubilee our
incompetentfriendswhichIalsorespondquitehappily.I
thankyou.
Ladiesandgentlemenofthepressasweheadto2017,my
relationshipwithyouwillnotchange.Iwillcontinueto
supportyourwork.Iamyourfriendandpartner.Ihave
alwaysbeen.
Thetaskaheadisenormous.Theexpectationsaregigantic.
Youshouldnotfailus.Iknowthatcomplacency,thatevilof
not rising to the occasion when you ought to will be
rewarding,especiallywhenthestorybeforeyouisahigh
stakesone.

Iamnotheretotellyouwhattodo.Today,Iamhereto
remind youthatonly you willmakethosechoices which
improveourwholelotasapeopleandanation.Onlyyouwill
writethosestoriesthatleadtothosetrustedwithpublic
affairsbeingheldaccountable. Iamconfidentthemenand
womenIseehereareuptothetask.
WheneverImeetjournalistsinanoccasionlikethisInever
forgettoaddthis:Everystory,ifonlyextendedbyone
inch,caneitherleadtothetruthorcompletelyerasethe
truth. The truth therefore is a bargain between
professionalism,yourethics,yourappreciationofpublic
interestand,moresignificantly,yourcraft.
Iwillgiveyouanexample:someofmycolleagueswhistledin
parliamenttheotherday.SincethenIhavereadallthese
commentaries about how wrong, or disrespectful, or
unacceptable,theiractionswere.Theoneinchsomeofyou
refusedtogoiswhetherthewhistlingwasunprecedented,or,
grossly

out

of

sync

with

comparative

parliamentarypresidentialdemocraticprocessesaroundusor
elsewhereintheworld.
Ifthoseofyouwhowritepoliticalnewsweregoodstudents
ofhistoryyouwouldhavenoted,anddeliberatelyinformed

thecountry,thatwhateveritisthatwentoninparliament
isverynormalindeliberativedemocracies.Infact,the
firstwhistlingincident,orevent,actuallyhappenedatthe
verybeginningofourhistoryatthesecondLancasterHouse
Conference.Ileaveittoyoutofindoutwhowhistledand
why.
Ifyouwanttohelpoursocietyadvance,makeitcomprehend
whatchangesaretakingplacearoundus.
Whatwearerelaunchingtodayshouldbeanewphaseof
journalismasonlyTheStarknowsitbest.IamconfidentThe
Starwillremainacommonmannewspaper.The'wethepeople'
voicethatyouhavegivenspacesinceyourinceptionmust
neverdie.Andaslongasitlives,youwillkeepappealing
tothisgreatconstituencyyouhavecurvedforyourselves.
Andyouwillremaininbusiness.
Iwishyouluck,alotofit,asyoucelebrateonthis
relaunchagreatpast,awonderfulpresentandahopeful
future.Thankyou.
Hon.JunetMohamed,MP
April7,2016