The Media Council of Kenya has said journalists get into trouble because of
indiscipline and misbehaviour.
CEO David Omwoyo, in an interview, said it is unfair for
journalists to condemn the council yet their problems are of their own making.
"It is ironic that although journalists expose the wrongs committed by state officers, some do not observe the Code of Conduct of the profession," Omwoyo said.
He said there are genuine cases where journalists have been harassed and mishandled,
but in other cases,
they are to blame.
"During campaigns for the General Election last year,
some journalists suffered unjust
treatment. Several journalists reported that they had been assaulted."
"Recently, we stepped in when Parliament summoned two journalists over bribery claims. And in Mombasa when two other journalists were arrested, we pushed for their release," Omwoyo said.
However, Omwoyo said some journalists get drunk and cause trouble. Others demand money from news sources to alter stories.
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He said the council is not policing journalists but is concerned that such behaviour impedes efforts to have freedom of the
press.
"As much as we advocate for media freedom, it is upon the individual journalists to ensure they carry themselves with dignity," he said.
Omwoyo said there are 6,000 legally registered journalists in Kenya while 8,000 are unregistered.
He said the unregistered ones are not attached to any media house. Omwoyo said they masquerade as journalists and extort money from news sources.
"They hang around Parliament, the courts and county governments. We are giving them 90 days to reform or we shall hunt for them," Omwoyo said.
He acknowledged there is stiff competition in the industry,
but said it is not an excuse to violate rules. He said journalists who break rules will be summoned to appear before the complaints council.
"They will be warned, fined or ordered to compensate. If they cannot do so, they will be blacklisted," he said.
He said any media house that will later employ such journalists risks also being blacklisted.
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