Senate must have a say in media law - Ethuro TUESDAY, NOV 5, 2013 BY DAVID MWERE Senate Speaker Ekwe Ethuro has said the House must have an input in the controversial Kenya Information Communication Bill once President Uhuru Kenyatta refers it back to the National Assembly. The bill was passed by the National Assembly last Thursday. In a reference to the bill, Uhuru however said he will not approve any that is unconstitutional. The bill proposes heavy penalties for media houses and practitioners who violate the code of conduct for the practice of journalism. The penalties are to be handed by a tribunal handpicked by the line minister. This is against article 35 of the constitution that guarantees press freedom. At the time of its passage, there were 30 MPs in the House, which is below the required quorum of 50 legislators to transact business according to the standing orders. Ethuro yesterday asked Uhuru not to assent to the bill. He said the Senate is part of Parliament and should be given the opportunity to look at it. “We expect the bill to come to the Senate once the President refers it back with recommendations so that we can have an input because we are part of parliament,” Ekwee said. He was speaking when he opened the session of the second Africa Colloquium of Legal Counsel to Parliaments at a city hotel in Nairobi. Ekwe said that press freedom is crucial to check the excesses of the government. He said amendments curtailing media freedom are not useful especially at this time when the country has made meaningful progress.
Posted on: Tue, 05 Nov 2013 09:00:25 +0000