Press Release:
Issued 27-12-02

CREDO Condemns manipulation of Kenya Broadcasting Corporation’s coverage of elections, calls for its reform

CREDO for Freedom of Expression and Associated Rights hereby condemns the refusal of the publicly owned but state controlled Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) to broadcast paid adverts of a major opposition party, the National Rainbow Coalition, in the run up to the December 27 national elections.

The KBC’s refusal to broadcast the paid adverts on both radio and television is a clear manifestation of attempts by the ruling KANU party to illegitimately influence the public’s perception of contending parties by restricting the visibility of another party.

Commenting on the developments, CREDO’s Coordinator Rotimi Sankore stated, “reports from observers and journalists reporting the elections, indicate a definite bias of the KBC for the ruling KANU party, with respect to both paid advertisements, and news coverage of the candidates and political parties, this is not acceptable.”

“The KBC as Kenya’s major broadcaster is the main window through which many Kenyan’s see the political world beyond their immediate communities. Any distorted broadcasts by the KBC mean that many citizens will have a distorted view of the political process, and the strengths and weaknesses of candidates and political parties. Clearly, the rights of many candidates and parties to reach the electorate through a public medium have been breached, and the rights of the public to receive accurate information have been violated.

“The existence of genuine democracy depends clearly on all political parties receiving balanced, fair and equitable coverage from the media in general, and the publicly owned media in particular both in between and during elections. The publicly owned media must also be able to exercise its right to question the policies of both ruling party and opposition candidates, without fear of intimidation from any quarter.”

“What ever party or parties constitute the new Kenyan government must ensure that the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation is reformed. There must not be a witch-hunt. Rather, the legal and institutional framework regulating funding of the KBC, appointments of its board, management and editorial staff, and their job security need to be reviewed. This is vital to ensuring that the KBC’s editorial independence is guaranteed and that its staff are immune to political pressure and other influences.”

Ends

For further information, contact our International Office:
Centre for Research Education & Development Of
- [CREDO]- Freedom of Expression & Associated Rights.
73-75 Newington Causeway
London SE1 6BD, UK
Tel: + 44 20 77875501
Fax:+ 44 20 77875502
E-mail: Media – [email protected] [2] , General – [email protected] [3]

CREDO is an International human rights organisation based in Senegal and London and focusing on work in Africa. CREDO believes that freedom of expression and other strongly associated rights, are major platforms on which all civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights stand. CREDO further believes that “without distinction of any kind such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status” everyone is entitled to these rights as outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural rights, The African Charter on Peoples and Human Rights and other similar documents.
While freedom of expression remains an inalienable right, it is often overlooked that it is in reality, not a stand alone right but is also a ‘gateway’ right to these other strongly associated rights, which are no less important and demand equal attention. These rights include the rights to opinion, assembly, association and so forth. An attack on any of these rights, is more often than not an indicator that other associated rights are not fully assured.
Collectively these rights are infinitely more important than they are individually. Their intertwined nature means that they are best defended and promoted collectively and not in isolation from each other.
While maintaining an international perspective, CREDO’s work focuses on themes in Africa related to: freedom of expression, media freedom, rights/access to information and information resources; freedom of opinion, association, assembly and related rights; and anti-discrimination issues e.g. discrimination based on gender, race, ethnicity, political persuasion etc.