Policeman surprised by white journalist

Nov 02, 2001

A Police officer attached to Parliament, was on Tuesday shocked when he saw a Muzungu journalist going to parliament to cover the proceedings of the parliamentary committees.

A Police officer attached to Parliament, was on Tuesday shocked when he saw a Muzungu journalist going to parliament to cover the proceedings of the parliamentary committees. My English colleague and I were entering parliament after a long discussion about European soccer. At the checkpoint we were stopped by four policemen. “Where are you going?” was the first question. I told them we were going to cover the Parliamentary Committee on Tourism and Trade. “How about him?” another asked, meaning my colleague now. I told them we were together and going for the same assignment. But surprisingly, after showing them our press cards, the Corporal, who seemed to be in charge, called us back and asked, “But this one here, I have not seen him here reporting in parliament, where is he going,” he asked prompting a bout of laughter from me. I replied “Eh! Bwana, so this is the first time you see a white reporter going to parliament or something, it is like you are used to seeing only black journalists”. “No, but I have to find out,” he answered, forgetting that we had already identified ourselves as pressmen. “Okay, you go naye....”, he said as some of his colleagues struggled to control their laughter lest the boss asked them why they were laughing. Whatever he meant by “naye” nobody knows. We quietly walked off to do our assignment. ends

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