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By Kurgat Martin Seronei
While the world celebrates the World Press Freedom Day, Kenya is yet to stop assault on media operations to reach globally accepted standards. World journalists continue to face death threats, harassment and arrests from deliberate and intolerant state officials, rich powerful tycoons and hired goons. Freedom of expression and that of media is far from being reached despite the protection inspired within our Constitution. Previously regarded as The Fourth Estate, the media and journalists have become the State’s biggest threat.
During the 20th World Press Freedom Day, in his speech President Uhuru Kenyatta sounded relief in his pledge to safeguard that freedom. It was not to be, though, that was the time when the country was still waiting for comprehensive enactment of Laws on freedom of Information Bill 2012, it would further protect the right of the media to inform, educate and entertain the citizenry without any restrictions or hindrances.
Ever since the shooting down of the Security Law by Kenyan courts, it was a reprieve and relief from going back to the dark days. It appears that on the contrary, Kenya Government is not fully prepared and ready to embrace this freedom! The United Nations General Assembly declared May 3 to be the World Press Freedom Day to raise awareness and remind Governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of Windhoek. This declaration was further enhanced by UNESCO when it marks this day with prizes on discussing individuals, organization institutions that make outstanding contributions to the defense of the Press Freedom globally.
Despite the fact that Journalists are society’s mirrors, they enter into dangerous areas including battle fields or war Zones unarmed .Their sole objective is to report the happenings from the very venue of events .Others working on investigative stories relay factual news from the ground yet they are targeted, vilified, roughed up or even assassinated - quite a risky profession yet a noble task for truth to be expressed to the world of information consumers.
Over the recent past, convention at the KICC whose theme was “Safety, Security and Protection of Journalists in self Regulating Context” The Media Council of Kenya Chief Executive Harun Mwangi said that, he would explore all ideal policies and systems that would allow journalists and media practitioners to freely report from any corner of East African region, access information with ease and that they remain secured.
Unfortunately, such assurances came out at the wake of death threats received by the two investigative Journalists from the Kenya Television Network (KTN) over piece entitled “Ghururi Ya Saitoti and the inside story’s Death in Ten 10 Minutes.” The most recent incident is when two Nation Media Group editors were summoned by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) over a story that linked the deportation of a senior spy officer by the Dutch government to The Hague cases.
Previously, in January last year ,Information Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i had direct confrontation with the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) over a Law that empowers him to sack all members of the council upon the enactment of the new law and start the process of getting new ones.
Towards this end, media houses themselves should develop guidelines as the MCK play a role in the matter of compelling public interests .There is a clear rivalry in control of freedom of the press in this country.
However, the provisions of Article 33-35 in the Constitution of Kenya is expected to extend wide freedom of the press and whilst grateful to the 10th Parliament for enacting it with far reaching reforms, Freedom comes with responsibility and this led to the Kenyan Media demonstrating it in word and deed in the election process of March, 2013.
The unfortunate events after the widely disputed Presidential elections in 2007/08 when Kenya became violent and volatile, led to self-censorship in order to attain peace at all cost. Journalists avoided the repeat by playing cautious reporting of events, issues and trends then. But of course, every country in the world has at some point experienced fragility, be it social, political or economic. The media moreover, didn’t abandon its major role to effectively keep up being the watchdog during the election over the Government.
Kenya’s Media today is expected to be society's image, public's eye, ear and nose and remain esteemed as members of the fourth state. The media further should be seen to expose society's evil such as graft and as a change agent. It should always play that role anywhere in the World where democracies are seen to be practiced when criticism is accepted and negative events, issues and trends are exposed or disclosed in the society. These include Governments or Political establishments with the notion in mind that press Freedom is not a gift from any quarter but a basic fundamental right.
It is sad that in this 21st Century, Kenya's pressmen continue to face harassment, assault, arrest, threats and such other kinds of intimidation while rendering their professional services, some of which are from security forces and some paid thugs. Kenya should not be equated to lawless Somalia neighbor where professional brethrens are slaughtered on daily basis. Press Freedom is a right! And that its absence and that of safety shows that journalism is indeed a risky profession even in a relatively peaceful society like the one existing in Kenya.
Kurgat Martin Seronei,
Teaches Media Studies at the School of Information Sciences,
Moi University, Eldoret.
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