By MWANIKI MUNUHE
The Media Council of Kenya has taken issue with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s recommendations to the National Assembly over the controversial Kenya Information and Communications (Amendment) Bill, 2013.
Council chairman Joseph Odindo said while it welcomes the decision to revert the Bill to Parliament, the president’s recommendations had not helped the matter.
“We have taken a preliminary look at the recommendations made by the President to the National Assembly regarding the Kenya Information and Communications (Amendment) Bill, 2013. While we welcome his refusal to sign the Bill, we are dismayed by his attempt to transfer to the Executive the illegal control over the media which MPs had given themselves in the returned Bill,” he said
“In all, the President’s recommendations there are no attempt to align this Bill with Section 34(3) and 34(5) of the Constitution of Kenya, which guarantee media freedom and which expressly state that the government will have no control over the media content,” he added.
READ MORE
CSs should quit if they can't stop politicking
Uhuru should stay silent like Moi and Kibaki after their retirement
Ruto Western campaigns; Inherent message in Lusaka appointment for coordinator
Indeed, said Odindo, Members of Parliament should find it disturbing that the President in his memorandum appears to exceed his powers by redrafting the sections he disagrees with instead of expressing his reservations and stating his reasons for that reservation.
“The recommendations made by the President will yield a media law that is every bit as unconstitutional, draconian and politically repressive as the Bill passed by Parliament three weeks ago,” he added.
