MEDIA COUNCIL OF KENYA

45 cases of press freedom violations reported this year, MCK says

Omwoyo expressed the council's displeasure on the negative profiling of journalists

In Summary

•Omwoyo said the cases are always on the rise during the electioneering and political campaigns.

•The council has since January documented 45 cases of press freedom violations.

MCK CEO David Omwoyo making his remarks on Thursday during the handover of a reviewed elections coverage guidelines from the Technical Review Committee in Nairobi.
MCK CEO David Omwoyo making his remarks on Thursday during the handover of a reviewed elections coverage guidelines from the Technical Review Committee in Nairobi.
Image: MEDIA COUNCIL OF KENYA

The Media Council of Kenya has said that some 45 cases of press freedom violations have been reported since January.

In a statement on Thursday, MCK Chief Executive and secretary David Omwoyo said the cases are always on the rise during the electioneering and political campaigns.

"We particularly take note of the latest verbal attack against Citizen TV by Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi through a social media post, that was meant to intimidate the editorial discretion of the station," Omwoyo said.

In a social media post, Sudi slammed the TV channel over the Azimio story that had been aired.

Omwoyo said that Sudi's statement comes after similar threats by South Mugirango MP Silvanus Osoro who castigated the media outlet for alleged biased reporting.

"We advise politicians and the public that journalists are guided by a professional code of conduct, with sufficient mechanisms for self-regulation, both as an industry or at a personal level," he said.

The council further warned politicians against using remarks that are perceived as inflammatory and negatively profiling individual journalists as well as media stations.

Omwoyo expressed the council's displeasure on the negative profiling and threats by some politicians.

"The media council of Kenya is concerned about the increasing incidences of profiling of and threats to individual journalists and media outlets by politicians," Omwoyo said.

He said such threats are likely to incite the public and political supporters against the media and may thus expose journalists and media practitioners to violations of their rights as they go about their rightful duties.

"Attack against and intimidation of the media contravenes Article 34 and 35 of the constitution on the freedom of the media and access to information."

Further, the  Council has encouraged Kenyans and particularly politicians who feel aggrieved by the conduct of the media to seek redress through the media complaints commission, which is established under the Media Council Act, 213 to address media-related disputes.

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