Kenya Film Classification Board CEO Dr Ezekiel Mutua has said that the Kenyan government prefers collaborating and partnering with Chinese global media for among other things tell the Kenyan story to the global audience.
Speaking to BBC World Service in an ongoing 5-part series documentary dubbed 'Chinese Dreams', which seeks to examine how China's rise is influencing countries across the globe, Mutua termed Chinese international media as 'patriotic and disciplined'.
"If you ask me which international media I would rather go for in terms of collaborations and partnerships, then it is Chinese, not the BBC, CNN or any other western media. Chinese media is patriotic and has a sense of discipline They are not coming here to colonise us," Mutua said in the programme that aired on Wednesday.
ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru while speaking in the same programme, would also echo Mutua's sentiments while dispelling the notion that the government has been trying to have its citizenry consume everything Chinese including media.
"We have 174 radio stations and 75 TV channels serving divergent preferences of the Kenyan people. This is a confirmation of how liberalised our media is. We have never forced anyone to consume Chinese media and their narrative. There are many channels one can choose from if you don't agree with the Chinese," Mucheru said.
Media commentator and cartoonist, Patrick Gathara, however, seem to differ with the duo saying that there have been growing efforts by Nairobi and Beijing to have Kenyans adapt to the Chinese model of telling and consuming stories.
Gathara noted that Chinese global media like CGTN whose Africa operations are headquartered in Nairobi, has hired many local talents whom it want to 'believe' that they are telling their own story which is not the case.
"This is rather deceptive. We even have had cases of Information ministers from Africa going to China to learn on its media model. But what do you think they are being told there? It is to clampdown on our media freedoms and the democratization process," he said.