KITUI-based journalists yesterday demonstrated against the Kenya Information and Communication Amendment Bill. They scribes used masking tapes to cover their mouths as they protested on Kitui town streets. They also carried placards denouncing both the KICA and the Media Council of Kenya Bills. Regional coordinator of the Kenya Correspondents Association Musembi Nzengu led the protests. protested on the streets suspended duty to take part in a silent peaceful procession along the streets of Kitui Town with their mouths blocked with white masking tapes. Nzengu led the scribes in a protest that included a visit to the Kitui Police Station, county commissioners office and the Post Offic. Nzengu urged the MPs to soberly deliberate on the bill and come up with amendments which do not hinder press freedom. , independence and democracy. They lamented the hefty fine proposed in the KICA Bill to be meted to journalists adjudged to have violated the code of conduct. They said they find were astronomical and out of reach of most field correspondents. Telling a field Correspondent to pay even Sh. 500,000 is just a quick way of sending him to jail as what he gets from the employer is peanut. The employer would relief such a correspondent of his job for being a liability if he pays, said Nzengu. He however advised journalists especially those from the emerging local FM Stations to be objective in their reporting as it was also a punishable offense to defame somebody. Nzengu said although parliament needed to come up with a journalism friendly Bill that was not repressive, the code of conduct for journalists needed to be upheld.
Posted on: Wed, 04 Dec 2013 19:11:52 +0000
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