Thursday, January 18, 2007

New pix of KochFM team

http://www.flickr.com/photos/86951203@N00/sets/72157594485395264/

KochFM team arrested in Kariobangi, Nairobi

Monday the 15th of January we were all out in Kariobangi having a farewellparty for Inger-Lill and me that were leaving the following morning. I just came back from the washrooms when I could see Toto, Oti, Roba and the rest of my dear friends standing up as if they were frozen. It was quiet, and when i turned my head, I could see we were all surrounded by between 10 and 20 policemen with kalashnikows. Inger-Lill had been ordered "Tourist, sit down", she whispered this to me as I was standing there with my eyes wide open, trying to understand what was happening. We were ordered to proceed to the door, and the owner approached me to pay the bill, so I payed and started walking to the door.

There I tried to talk to one of the policemen who were blocking the door. He seemed friendly, but suddenly some of the other policemen shouted "Out! On one line!" So we had to walk out on one line, where a huge policetruck was parked ready for loading with everybody inside the bar. Inger-Lill tried to talk to another policeman to get an explanation of why we were arrested and the answer she got was "because you are here!". So it seemed that we were not allowed to have a goodbyeparty in Kariobangi on a monday. I tried to explain to one of the guards that we were supposed to catch a plane 10:30 the day after, so if we got arrested, we would not be able to go home. And that we had our vehicle there at the parkinglot. But he didn´t seem to care much, so I asked who´s in charge, and he pointed out this guy without uniform, so I approached him, and I could see the fire in his eyes. I tried to explain to him, but the only thing he did was to shout "In the lorry now!" and he pushed me towards the lorry, so I had to climb in.

As I climbed in people were pushed and they actually fell stubling towards the lorry. A very good example of police brutality in Nairobi. Inger-Lill got some filthy policemanfingers touching her behind and some dirty swahili glossary were exchanged between the policemen. My first thought then was to get Inger-Lill safe inside the lorry, so I tried to reach my hand for helping her in, but someone dragged her back, and ordered me out.

I jumped back out and someone ordered us to get in our car and go. I told one of the policemen there are 2 more tourists inside the lorry, and asked if they could come, so they talked to our australian friends that refused to come. And if it wasen´t for our plane the morning after we would also had joined KochFMs first common arrest to the station to get to experience how this "system" actually treats their people.

Anyway Inger-Lill and I went back to town shivering in anger over how the police can claim to treat people like this. The police is as far as I see it the biggest threat to the security in Nairobi. The Nairobi Police are brutal, corrupt, patheticly powerful, male chauvinist and racist. I´m glad our friends got back home in one piece on tuesday after being humiliated like if they were animals without human rights.

This was a violation against the human rights to a group fighting to gain them in the city of Nairobi. We shall overcome. This is what we are fighting for! Long live KochFM!

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Workshop in Koch Saturday, January 13th 2007

This saturday we had visitors in Koch. Gwendolyn Thomkins East African Korrespondent at NPR, National Public Radio in Massachusetts, USA and two more journalists, one of them the EA correspondent of LA times. Also 2 of the celebrity breakfast-show-hosts, Chanice and Fareed of CapitalFM (one of the most proffessional Radiosations in East Africa). A lot of important issues were touched upon by these people, who were brought to Koch by a European health worker that has some projects going in the area.

Gwen had brought her minidisc recorder a mic and showed us some interviewing techniques in a very funny and informative way. She also talked alot about how to be a good storyteller when it comes to work as a radio host. One of her main issues was how to interview people that has experienced something terrible as rape or murder. How you must think as a journalist and how you psychologically must try to put yourself in the same situation, but at the same time remember that you have no reason as such to know how exactly it feels to have had this kind of experience when you are talking as the voice of your listeners.

One of the american journalists had brought the Code of Ethics and talked trough them and gave examples. He also gave the participants some "exercises" by asking what our team would do if a member of a political party would invite a journalist from KochFM to a meeting, and fasilitate snacks and transport. We got some good discussions, and everybody agreed that it would be better to go to the meeting by own means and skip the bribes to have the chance to be a independent voice of the people.

The hosts of CapitalFM got alot of questions regarding if they are nervous before a show, how they prepare, when they start their day at work, how they work together as a team an so on.

this was a very good experience for all the people that attended the workshop! We hope there will be more to come. KochFM is in desperate need of technical experience. If you do this or know someone who knows, please contact us at kochfm@gmail.com. We are using Adobe Audition for editing and need experienced people to train our staff.

Friday, January 12, 2007

Richard and Inger-Lill back in Koch

Lill and I visited koch again. We are staying in Nairobi from Jan 2nd up to Jan 16th. We have hade a great time with our friends in KochFM and things are really starting to happen. During our stay so far we have been able to contribute some more knowledge and equipment. I brought a wireless sender for internet-signals. with this equipment we hope to be able to get internet to Koch as soon as possible.

We have also brought another computer, a apple g3 laptop contributed from a good friend of mine in Oslo. I have installed various software on this one for soundediting and such things we need for running a radiostation.

As I am writing this we are not yet transmitting due to some technical problems with the transmitter. It seems not to amplify the signal, so we are looking for a new one, which we plan to order on the internet. (www.veronica.co.uk)

Me and Lill are happy to see that the guys are so buzy! They are preparing different things for the upcoming world social forum. I'm not quite updated on what's happening yet, but one of the slogans are KochFM - Takin' ova! and this is what they are planning to do with the WSF:)

They are making big banners with logos and slogan for adverting along the way between Korogocho and Kasarani, where the WSF is going to take place. This is walking distance from Koch and they are planning to have bands playing at a stage, a big barbeque, cinema, tent-camp for visitors and a band playing following the participants from Koch to Kasarani everyday during the Forum.

When it comes to the studio, it's still in the process of being built. Tom (the carpenter) finished the studiowindow earlier today.

During the weekend we are going to have a workshop in Koch, where we connect the equipment and talk about how to run a radiostation, which is going to be a big issue in KochFM for 2007. Now we need to get in contact with good radio-presenters, editors and engineers to do workshops for us. Please send us tips for this and other stuff to kochfm@gmail.com

Richard