Media shrugs off ban threat
The media fraternity Wednesday reacted sharply to threats by the Government to disband the Media Council of Kenya. This follows their move to establish a taskforce to audit how media houses covered last year’s general elections and the subsequent violence. The council’s taskforce is chaired by Mr Peter Mutie of the Public Relations Society of Kenya with Mr Hiram Mucheke of the Kenya Institute of Mass Communications, Dr Levi Obonyo, a university lecturer and the director of Information, Mr Ezekiel Mutua, as members.
However, the Government quickly opposed the establishment of this taskforce, saying the move was aimed at thwarting efforts by a similar taskforce to review the coverage of the December elections. But Wednesday, the Media Council of Kenya, Editors Guild and the Kenya Union of Journalists termed the Government move as unfortunate, out of order and should be treated with the contempt it deserved.
The council’s chairman, Mr Wachira Waruru, said theirs was an independent legal entity and was not obligated to take directives from the Government. Quoting Section 5 of the Media Act, Mr Waruru said: “The council shall operate without any political or other bias … it shall be wholly independent and separate from the Government, any political party or nominating authority.”
He was accompanied by Mr Joseph Odindo of the Nation Media Group and Mr Mutie. The Editors Guild added its voice to the matter and underscored its confidence in the Media Council. “The Government or any other party with issues about the conduct of the media, has the right to file those issues under established mechanisms and the Media Council was established for that purpose,” said members of the Guild.
The KUJ said Mr Mutua was acting out of order. Neither he nor the minister for Information had the authority to interfere with the operations of the council, said the journalists union. “Mr Mutua’s role in the council is limited to his membership as nominated by the Kenya News Agency,” said Mr Eric Orina, the union’s secretary-general.
Daily Nation
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