International Commission of Jurists Criticizes Kenya’s Plan to Gag Media

Text of report by Lucianne Limo entitled “ICJ criticizes Government sponsored media Bill” published by Kenyan newspaper The Standard website on 31 May

The Kenyan chapter of the International Commission of Jurists [ICJ] has asked the government to withdraw the Media Bill from parliament.

The ICJ Kenya executive director, Mr George Kegoro, termed the bill “bad and retrogressive”.

“I have read the bill and it is impossible to implement. Journalism is the power to express oneself by what you observe and that cannot be regulated by a law,” he said.

Kegoro instead proposed that the media works out a plan to regulate itself.

“The media and the government should work together and solve the problems that face the industry and at the same time maintain freedom of expression.

The University of Nairobi journalism lecturer also criticized the bill, saying its introduction was suspect.

“The bill has been introduced not because there is need but it is intended to govern the interest of certain people,” he said.

Of primary concern, he said, the bill proposes too many laws to regulate the media.

“We don’t need too many laws. When you enact laws, there should be a reason and not acting in the interest of politicians,” he added.

He said the media have laws regulating them. “If you hurt me, I know where to go. I don’t know what this new law is supposed to do apart from strangling us,” he said.

The bill, tabled by communication minister, Mr Mutahi Kagwe, seeks to regulate journalism.

It seeks to establish a media council and a Media Advisory Board to regulate journalism, enforce a code of conduct and manage a complaints committee.

It will also maintain a register of local journalist with powers to de-register those found guilty by the committee.

The bill has been widely criticized by a section of leaders and the media fraternity as an attempt by the government to muzzle the press.

(c) 2007 BBC Monitoring Africa. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.