• The top state security organ issued several guidelines on October 7 to stem heightened political campaigns and regulate their coverage on social and traditional media.
• The Media Council of Kenya has said the guidelines should be reviewed to remove any that pose threats to media freedom.
The media regulator has warned that public order guidelines issued by the National Security Advisory Committee should not be used to muzzle the press.
The media regulator has warned that public order guidelines issued by the National Security Advisory Committee should not be used to muzzle the press.
The top state security organ issued several guidelines on October 7 to stem heightened political campaigns and regulate their coverage on social and traditional media.
The Media Council of Kenya has said the guidelines should be reviewed to remove any that pose threats to media freedom.
MCK chief executive officer David Omwoyo said some aspects of the order if implemented will erode the gains made in strengthening a free and responsible media industry.
Omuoyo said any breaches of the ethical guidelines in reporting are best addressed by the Media Complaints Commission rather than by security agencies.
He spoke in Kisumu during a media sector working group. Others present at the forum were Erick Oduor, secretary-general Kenya Union of Journalists and Rosalia Omungo, CEO of the Kenya Editors Guild.
Omuoyo said lessons from the 2007-2008 post-election conflict were incorporated in guides on reporting violence and politics.
“We would also caution against any rules that threaten editorial independence and prerogatives, or any attempts to silence discordant voices that may seem to find expression through the media,” he said.
Oduor said they are conscious of the threats posed by reckless political activities and utterances and have enough internal mechanisms to deal with them.
He said they recognise that heightened political activity and inflammatory utterances can ignite tension and hatred in the country.
“There have also been recent incidents of political violence that have regrettably led to the loss of life,” he said.
Oduor said the union encourages responsible and professional journalism.
It conducts regular peer review engagements, media information literacy, training on conflict-sensitive reporting, hate speech, election reporting and coverage of communal, ethnic and political strife, he said.
Omungo noted that efforts by media stakeholders to ensure fair reporting are well documented.
She said the media in Kenya has proved itself to be one of the most professional, independent and responsible in Africa.
“We are, therefore, surprised that the National Security Advisory Committee and the Cabinet are proposing curbs on media reporting of political activity without reference to the independent media regulatory body recognised and established by the Constitution and Acts of Parliament,” she said.