We are not comfortable with the directive on Media, Stakeholders tells Government
By Dickson Odhiambo
October 12, 2020
We are not comfortable with the directive on Media, Stakeholders tells Government
The Media stakeholders have said they are not comfortable with a section of the directive that was issued by the National Security Advisory Committee on the media in covering political events across the country.
Under the umbrella body known as the Kenya Media Sector Working Group, the stakeholders say their particular interest and concern is in regard to constraints on media reporting of political events.
Addressing the press in Kisumu today, the Group led by the Kenya Union of Journalists Secretary General Eric Oduor , Media Council of Kenya Chief Executive Officer David Omwoyo and Kenya Editors Guild C.E.O Rosella Omungo said they find this retrogressive and unnecessary interference in the work of the media and access to information by Kenyans.
“The Media industry has taken note of the National Security Advisory Committee (NSAC) statement issued on October 7, 2020, and the ratification of the same following a Cabinet meeting of October 8.The statement was issued in regard to increasing political activities that the government says are becoming a threat to law and order,” they say in a signed press statement.
Kenya Union of Journalists Secretary General Eric Oduor says the media industry has enough internal mechanisms to deal with that as media in the country.
“There is the Code of Conduct for the Practice of Journalism across the country that was development by the Media Council of Kenya Act 2013 where every journalist adhere to this and any journalist who goes against this is held responsible for violating the Code of Conduct,” Oduor says.
Oduor says the media stakeholders have recognized and appraise that the heightened political activities is showing evidence of inflammatory utterances that can serve to ignite tension and hatred in the country, adding that there have also been incidences of political violence that have regrettably led to lose of lives.
“We acknowledge that the irresponsible media reporting in such environment can sometimes have the effects of fueling tensions,” Oduor adds.
The KUJ Secretary General however says Freedom of the media should be guaranteed, adding the statement that was read by the Head of the Civil Service Joseph Kinyua that the media will solely be held responsible or liable for any content that they air or published arising from politicians who are involved in the incitement activities.
“We are not comfortable with this directive and such a section should be reviewed since we don’t generate content,” he says.
He says the Government should instead go for the hate mongers who are generating the content aims at inciting Kenyans against one another but not the media.
“It is the responsibility of the Government to look for those who are generating content to incite Kenyans. The media does not generate the content and our work is to disseminate news,”
Rosella Omungo, Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Editors Guild says the Government should never allow state officials to have a leeway and engaging in discussion that undermines the Freedom of the media and expression that are guaranteed in the Constitution.
“Let the Journalists do their work and bring the information to Kenyans while the state should deal with the hate mongers,” she says.
Media Council of Kenya Chief Executive Officer David Omwoyo says the Government has a duty to enforce law and order and stop incitement, adding that media can’t be told to stop from providing platforms because they are part of the integral political processes.
“Multiparty Democracy is founded on diversity of ideas and differences of the opinions and the work of the media is to provide a platform for all these actors in the political scenes to be able to participate and have their messages aired across because the moment you stop the media from providing a platform to people with different opinion then democracy does not exist,” he says
Omwoyo says no credible media goes out in the field so as to provide a platform for hate mongers, adding that it is the people especially politicians at a political gathering who may say matters that turn out to be incitement since the media does not put words on the mouths of politicians to talk about.
The Kenya Media Sector Working Group comprise of the Media Council of Kenya, Kenya Union of Journalists, Association of Media Women in Kenya, Article 19, Association of Devolution of Journalists, Kenya Correspondents Association, Political Journalists Association of Kenya, the Kenya Editors Guild, IREX, Kenya Community Media Network and Digital Broadcasters Association.
The Cabinet last Thursday adopted the National Security Advisory Committee’s (NSAC) resolution requiring political leaders intending to hold public gatherings to seek approval from the Officer Commanding Station of the area three days prior.
President Uhuru Kenyatta chaired the Cabinet Meeting that also resolved to establish a multi-agency team comprising members drawn from the ministries of interior and ICT, whose mandate will be to monitor and enforce compliance of directives on the conduct of public gatherings.
They include representatives from the Ministry of Interior, Office of the Attorney General, Ministry of ICT, National Intelligence Service, National Police and Communications Authority of Kenya.
“The primary term of the multi-agency team shall be to monitor, document and enforce compliance with the prescriptions and directives with respect to the conduct of all public gatherings and processions,” a statement dispatched by the Cabinet Office read.
NSAC issued the directives were issued on Wednesday by the Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua.
He said the guidelines are aimed at taming political incitement and violence in political rallies, social media and the mainstream media.
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