Editors, reporters appeal to President Uhuru Kenyatta over press freedom

By BERNARD OGINGA

Journalists have once again urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to reject the Kenya Information and Communication Amendment Bill terming it unconstitutional.

The vice-chair of Kenya Editors guild David Ohito and the Kenya Correspondents Association (KCA) chair Oloo Janak vowed that journalists would continue campaigning against the implementation of the law until the contentious clauses were resolved.

Speaking during the launch of a book on guidelines of covering devolution published by KCA, the journalists insisted that the independence of media and freedom of expression were under threat. They said they were concerned that the hefty fines targeting journalists were among the heaviest and severest penalties against crime worldwide.

The journalists took issues with clauses of the law that pegged the local content at 45 per cent between 6am and 10pm in the night as unworkable.

“The highest broadcaster with local content is currently at about 24 per cent and implementing such a law would be beneficial only if it was demand-driven by the audiences and not forced down the throats of the broadcasters,” said Mr Ohito.

Also being contended by media practitioners is the clause limiting advertising.

“This clause cannot be implemented because it has not defined who local advertisers ,are. Among the top media advertisers are Safaricom, which has substantial shareholding from foreigners, East African Breweries Limited (EABL) and several multinational companies including banks who would be locked out of the media space” Ohito said.

Ethical standards

On the controversial media tribunal, the  journalists said the professional and ethical standards and the proposed deregistration of journalists can only be done by a body led by professionals and experts in media as is the case with law, medicine or engineering.

Janak said there were very many enemies of media freedom seeking to kill the freedom and independence of the media.

“We urge President Uhuru to live by his word and promise that he will not assent to the controversial Bill until consensus is reached.”