MEDIA STAKEHOLDERS MEET NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SPEAKER TO DISCUSS CONTENTIOUS BILL Key media stakeholders have met the Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi to discuss a new contentious Bill which further threatens media freedom in Kenya. The stakeholders who also included the Kenya Correspondents Association (KCA), Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ), the Kenya Editors Guild (KEG), and the Media Council of Kenya among others expressed their objections to sections of the Powers and Privileges (Amendment Bill) 2014 initiated by Eldas MP Adan Keynan, which seek to gag the media from covering parliament. The bill seeks to bar the media from broadcasting, televising and transmitting the proceedings of Parliament or its committees unless granted permission by the Speaker or chairperson of the committee, Journalists and bloggers will also be fined Sh500, 000 or jailed for two years if the MPs pass the bill that seeks to enhance the powers of the National Assembly. Speaking during the meeting, KCA chairman William Janak termed the Bill as a triple jeopardy, cautioning the current parliament to not go down in history as the one that actively supported and passed laws which constrain media freedom. “Last year, the National Assembly passed two laws with serious implications on press freedom, the Media Act 2013 and the Kenya Information and Communications (Amendment) Act 2013, despite protests from media stakeholders, and in the case of the latter, ceded its legislative role to the Executive by allowing the presidential memorandum to pass as part of the law without any debate or change,” said Janak. “We see a pattern where the National Assembly appears to be ganging up with the Executive arm of the government to gag the media and with this new Bill, there is triple jeopardy for journalists in the sanctions and penalties provided by the three pieces of legislation,” he added. KUJ Acting Secretary General Erick Oduor raised concerns over section 25 of the bill which limits access to parliament. He said that passing the bill in its current form would be putting the freedom of the press on trial. “The freedom of the press is outlined in the constitution very clearly and passing this bill the way it is will be muzzling the media.” Said Oduor. He added that in case of defamation by journalists, there were already existing laws on libel and defamation which were very clear and should be followed. The Secretary of the Kenya Editors Guild, Michael Mumo faulted the bill saying that it sought to take away provisions for the media to scrutinize parliament which raised serious questions on what the parliamentarians did not want seen by the public through the media. “The scrutiny of the media cannot disturb parliamentary business. We therefore demand that the media to be left to play its watchdog and information role” noted Mumo. The Media Council of Kenya Chief Executive Officer Haron Mwangi said that access to information is a key driver of democracy and called upon MPs to abandon the traditional authority of punishing the media. ”In the last 2 years there have been numerous constrains for journalists, questions of eligibility of media access should be determined by the media itself” said Mwangi, adding that the discussions of laws in parliament should be guided by a clear conscience. The Speaker, Justin Muturi faulted sections of the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Bill saying that media freedom was already provided for under Article 34 of the Constitution and Parliament could not be asked to make laws that would go contrary to the constitution. He emphasized the need for journalists to operate freely under existing laws without curtailing on their freedom. “Kenyans must be allowed to enjoy their freedom. We must rise and defend media freedom. We have nothing to hide as parliament and if it is a matter that is sensitive, the chair of the relevant committee can tell the media representative present to withdraw,” he stated The speaker, who chairs the Powers and Privileges Committee, said that it was important for the media to have a say in matters that affect them and promised to work together with the press in ensuring that the media stakeholders input was taken on board during the debate on the Bill to ensure any sections that could injure media freedom were removed. I and 3 Media Stakeholders meet the speaker. 2. The Speaker Justin Muturi addresses the forum 4. KCA Chairman, Oloo Janak stresses a point.
Posted on: Fri, 12 Sep 2014 08:57:43 +0000