Standard Group statement on new rules

The emerging development aimed at gagging the media is once again an affront on the media by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting under the stewardship of Cabinet Minister Samuel Poghisio and Permanent Secretary Bitange Ndemo.

As a media house that has in the past suffered at the hands of the State, we take great exception and call upon Kenyans — as the main stakeholders who stand to lose should the media be denied its obligation to defend matters of national interest — to resist this attempt.

It is clear that reining in on obscene content is a remote excuse that is being used to camouflage the intention to prevent investigative journalism.

Consequently, the Standard Group is calling upon all media houses, the political leadership and all stakeholders to stand up and reject these retrogressive and repugnant regulations, which are aimed at nothing but direct meddling in the operations of media houses, and this at a time when the country is yearning for greater freedom and democracy.

Following this development, the Standard Group is asking for a meeting of all media service providers coalescing under the Media Owners Association as soon a possible to decide on the next course of action aimed at protecting the freedom of the press as enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Kenya.