Media reacts to President’s move on Bill

By JAMES MBAKA

Kenya: The decision by President Uhuru Kenyatta to refuse to assent to the draconian Media Bill has elicited sharp reactions, with stakeholders calling for Parliament to seize the opportunity to make amendments that would protect freedom of the media.

They said the Information and Communications Bill, 2013 in its current form was an affront to the freedom of the Press as enshrined in the Constitution.

The Editors’ Guild termed the Bill a danger to the freedom of the Press and vowed to oppose it based on Section 34(5) of the Constitution that provides for the establishment of an independent body free of government control, commercial interest control and reflective of all society that will set standards for the media.

“The Media Council is the only body with the mandate to regulate the media and journalists in the country,” said David Ohito, vice chairman of the Editors’ Guild.

He observed that  Jubilee coalition politicians are keen to destabilise the gains on press freedom that have been hard-won.

Lauding the President’s move, National Community Based Organisations Council Chairman, Tom Aosa, said Parliament should not take Kenyans back to the dark days.

“If Parliament will not read the mood of Kenyans, then we will force them out of the august House through mass demonstrations,” Aosa said.

Echoing Aosa’s sentiments, Centre for Community Dialogue Director Geoffrey Mogire said Kenyans were more intelligent and MPs should not under rate them by attempting to gag the media.