Film board meets Muslim preachers and Imams over new regulations

The Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) led by its Chairman Bishop Kosgey held a consultative meeting with Imams and Muslim preachers in Mombasa over the repeal of CAP 222 of the laws of Kenya yesterday.

It comes two days after such a meeting with artistes in Nairobi that led to a standoff where a good number rejected a raft of new proposals that had been yet to be tabled for discussions.

Unlike the Nairobi meeting the meeting with the Muslim clergy was cordial and peaceful with mutual agreement that the laws that protect children from the negative effects of the media need to be sharpened.

“We have in our midst difficult challenges and to find a worthy partner such as KFCB to discuss how to deal with radicalization, homosexuality, porn and drug abuse in such a manner is all so encouraging,” said the influential Organising Secretary of the Council of Islam Preachers of Kenya (CIPK), Mohammed Khalifa at the meeting.

**Muslim imams and preachers over the repeal of CAP 222 yesterday. photo by GEORGE ORIDO**

He was supported by the National Coordinator of the CIPK Fauza Twaha who noted that in Kenya the majority was with the crusade to bring sanity in the media where children were safe from such negative content.

“We are not offering personal opinions here neither are we having these statements and decisions by the CEO Ezekiel Mutua but we are following the law so established as a board,” said Bishop Kosgey urging the public to join in support for creating a more conducive environment for the growth of the future generation.

Dr Kosgey sad contrary to general belief that the board is out to stifle creativity, it was actually motivating it by making sure that the product is good by standards established by the law.

Dr Mutua asked stake holders to bring forth their memoranda towards seeing a repeal of CAP 222 acceptable and favourable to all.

“I want to thank the Muslim leadership for the cooperation they have accorded today and the peaceful consultations have given us direction on what need to be done,” he said adding that the Constitution has a preamble acknowledging God as our foundation as a nation.

He took issue with the atheists who want to bring up children without God and empasised that the board will not allow individuals to propagate LGBTI values in the public sphere.

“If some adults are getting disoriented in one way or the other, let them keep it in their privacy and not bring it forth to the public domain,” he warned.

He disclosed that the production crew behind the banned gay flick Of our Lives had approached him to review the decision by the board but urged them to appeal either to the Cabinet Secretary or the Attorney General or go to court.

“If you want to confirm that what we are doing is within the law, there is not a single petition against the Board’s decision before a court of Law to date,” said Dr Mutua at the meeting held at the Kenya School Government Mombasa.

About 30 preachers and Imams from Mombasa County attended the meeting.

On Tuesday a section of members of the creative industry fraternity objected to the proposed amendments to the Film, Stage Plays and Publications Act that was going to give more powers to the board in classification and regulation of the films, live performances and publications.

Stage performers argued that the new laws would curtail freedom of expressions and make production costs too expensive.