Nairobi, Kenya: The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) and the Media Owners Association (MOA) have launched the journalists’ safety and protection protocol.
The protocol, presented in a ten-point charter, was launched as a guide to the media owners, managers and editors in a bid to educate them on the essence of free speech and safety of journalists.
It asks editors to assess the element of risk and ensure a journalist is fully aware and issue him or her with a choice of refusal as well as insurance of journalists against bodily harm, loss of life, property and equipment.
Other provisions in the charter include providing legal protection against impunity, providing relevant resources like transport, protective gear and finances to journalists on risky assignments. The stakeholders are also expected to establish specific protection measures to address gender and culturally sensitive issues like sexual harassment.
Speaking during the launch in Nairobi, Standard Group Managing Director Print Operations Francis Munywoki said the State and media stakeholders have failed to put in place mechanisms to address issues of concern to journalists.
“I challenge all media stakeholders to come up with structures that will ensure independent reporting,” said Mr Munywoki.
The deputy secretary of the Media Owners Association, Tom Mshindi, emphasized on the need for journalists safety and urged media owners to implement the document.
“Issue of safety of journalists is a key factor in a journalist’s line of work and we call upon all media owners and stakeholders to incorporate this document to allow for better journalistic practice,” said Mshindi.
Also present was the Information Secretary at the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, Mr Ezekiel Mutua, who echoed Munywoki’s sentiments and confessed support for the journalism profession.
“I would like to assure journalists that the Government is supportive of the journalism profession and that the government is upholding freedom of the Media in accordance with the constitution,” said Mutua.
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