You’ve seen the small white boards nailed onto wooden electricity poles with promises of regaining your lost love, property or job painted in red or black alongside a number to call to realise your heart’s desire.
Now the Kenya Films Classification Board says they will be a thing of the past in the interest of protecting children and other vulnerable groups from being taken in by the false advertising.
Board CEO Ezekiel Mutua, at a press briefing held on Tuesday, said their oversight was not restricted to films and television adverts but extended to all forms of advertising including billboards and the little white boards put up by witchdoctors.
“You’ll never see those things again,” he pledged. “If you’re going to put it there you’re going to come here and prove to us that you can cure the lovesick. We cannot condone false advertising no matter the form it comes in.”
On the broader subject of billboards, Mutua said they would also turn their guns on those that are sexually suggestive. “You have seen some with nudity, just naked women, even for products that have nothing to do nudity.
“I’ve been told there’s one for Crown Paints which lasts longer than your boyfriend (sic) so we’re going to go round with Marangi’s paints, mark the offensive billboards X and give the owners 14 days to bring them down before we recommend prosecution.”
He said the board, as a proactive measure, would engage the county governments to ensure no offensive billboards received a licence to go up.
“I think what the county governments were doing was just to give a licence based on the size and the placement of the advertisement but the context is the work of the KFCB so we’re encouraging those who believe that they are advertising products suitable for public consumption you have no fear. Just bring them to KFCB. The process is so fast and efficient.
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