This much, however, is apparent. As the muted Protestant voice and the vigorous Catholic voice struggle between themselves and the state, the minority Muslim voice is often cited in the press with a kind of prophetic finality that suggests the gavel has sounded and the question is closed. We cannot bend God's laws to make them conform to the passions of man. Remarkably, there were no editorial replies, and no framing of this response in the typical church-state standoff that characterizes coverage of the majority faiths. As the Muslim-owned Nation Media Group opens markets in commercial radio and television, East African media watchers will want to track programming formats and broadcast news trends to understand more fully the subtle but troublesome role ownership plays in framing the region's religion news.
Religion is central to life.
The year 2002 will be pivotal. President Moi has promised to retire. Kenyan elections have rarely been peaceful, and those scheduled for that autumn could be a watershed for civic participation, multi-party debate, and media freedom. The country's churches and mosques will play their part, and the daily press will be the primary vehicle for taking their voices beyond parochial centers and into the public conversation.