The Media and the Poor: The Flow of Information

More than 20 newspaper articles appeared in different papers in the national English and Kiswahili press connected to the plight of the Have Nots in Makete. Several Radio Reports were broadcasted by BBC English and Kiswahili Services and by Radio Free Africa.
At the beginning of the program, the media was reporting about successes but increasingly corruption, theft and attacks against patients and the program were made known to the public.
The media were dealing with People living with HIV/AIDS publicly disclosing their HIV status, the plight of children and in particular orphans leading households, the theft of donor monies in Makete, the lock-out of the EAWM program, statements and letters from local community representatives concerning the fraud in church and district, the visit of the Minister of Health and the visit of the Prime Minister and, last but not least, the irregularities and the involvement of corrupt Elites concerning procurement of cd4 machines.
Makete was chosen as one of the sites for a country wide BBC/UNDP media training program for journalists, NGOs and political leaders in preparation for the 2005 presidential election in Tanzania . PLWHA were interviewed and their contributions were used to produce radio features and newspaper articles. Strangely, some pieces with the Lutheran Bishop of SCD admitting the theft of funds mysteriously were lost. A BBC radio interview with the Bishop was broadcast but only after more than a year’s delay .
The media played a core role in informing the public about the human right abuses and theft in Makete and helped Have Nots, local citizens and supporters to air their grievances. The public reaction and resulting visits of leaders taught them that they have a voice and the right to speak out. This human right is obviously not respected by the ELCT and elements of the local government. ELCT complained about the nationwide publicity though the sad facts were known to them for years. Up to this time, neither the ELCT nor its partners have announced efforts that have resulted in any positive effect on the plight of the Have Nots . The Elites and Do-Gooders from North and South built an alliance against the Have Nots in Makete and even though they themselves claim to believe that without free speech and a free media it is very difficult to put development on track, in practice they used their money and connections to blame the media messengers and the poor instead of cleaning their own house of corruption and criminality.
By actively feeding rumours that foreign staff and EAWM were seeking the resignation of the local bishop in an attempt to damage the church, the benefitting Elites and Do- Gooders tried to shift attention away from the voices of ordinary Tanzanians who were indeed demanding the resignation of the bishop because of documented fraud and incompetence.
This elite strategy led to threats and police harassment of journalists and, probably, to the violent lock out of the clinic.