Standard raid: State urged to prosecute masterminds

By Peter Opiyo

Diplomats, media owners and politicians joined the Standard Group management and staff in marking the third anniversary of the heinous raid on the media house at which fresh calls were made to bring those responsible to book.

As the day was marked, the message that rang loud and clear was that the brutal act should never happen again.

And the rallying call on Monday was that the media are running out of patience with the Government on the promise to review offensive clauses in the Kenya Communications (Amendment) Act 2008.

Speaker after speaker at the event roundly condemned the Government for the heinous attack three years ago that drew national and international outrage.

"Today is a sad day for Kenya’s freedom of the media. It is a day we reflect and demand those responsible for the heinous crime, three years ago, be brought to account," said the Standard Group Deputy Chairman and Strategy Adviser Paul Melly.

Mr Melly said March 2 would always be remembered as the dark day for Kenyan media.

"This day shall forever remain an indelible reminder of a threat to Press freedom and it is further symptomatic of flagrant abuse of authority by those whose primary responsibility should be the protection of public interest," said Melly.

Carted away

Hooded gunmen raided the Standard Group offices at I&M Bank Building and Likoni Road printing press where they beat members of staff, disabled broadcast equipment, burnt the day’s newspapers and carted away computers. They also took a company van that has not been returned to date. Melly renewed the Group’s appeal that company equipment be returned (see separate story).

In his address, Melly asked: "Why were we raided? What was the real motive? Was there an important matter that we missed that they erroneously thought we had...? If not, was it a premeditated plan to weaken, silence and intimidate our journalists and paralyse a media house deemed to have been a rattler in highlighting and serving public interest?" he asked.

Soon after the raid, then Internal Security Minister John Michuki had retorted on being prodded on reasons for the raid: "If you rattle a snake, you must be prepared to be bitten."

The media, represented by the Media Owners Association (MOA) and Editors’ Guild’s chairmen, renewed calls for a review of the Kenya Communications (Amendment) Act 2008, with a warning that their patience was running out.

"We shall, in the coming days, be discussing among ourselves and take decisive action," said MOA Chairman Linus Gitahi.

Editor’s Guild Chairman Macharia Gaitho said: "We were conned. We withheld our fire, but there has not been a single response to our memorandum. There is no point of carrying on with dialogue. We are going back to the drawing board and this week we shall decide the way forward."

Standard Group Managing Director Paul Wanyagah underscored the need for a free Press in a democracy like Kenya.

"The Press, in all its forms, must continue to play a vital and key role, especially in Kenya, where so much seems at stake," Mr Wanyagah said.

He said Kenya faces various challenges and the media would be instrumental in contributing to helping find solutions.

He said: "Total and true freedom of the Press in Kenya needs and must be upheld if our dear country is to climb out of its current challenges."

Group Chief Editor John Bundotich described the raid as "a baffling experience" and pointed out the danger that oppression of the media still looms large.

He cited the passing of the Kenya Communications (Amendment) Act as a move to muzzle the media, but affirmed that the media would not be cowed.

"We will resist the temptation to support the argument that it (the raid) was a threat to national security because we have not been told why it was sanctioned," he said.

Threat to democracy

German Ambassador Walter Lindner, who recalled arriving in the country only four days before the raid, said he was shocked and "could not believe the raid was happening in a country regarded as a rock of democracy in the region".

He underscored the important role of the Press, saying it is more critical in a coalition Government where there is no official opposition in Parliament.

Responsibility of the media, he said, is mandatory, but should be self-imposed by the media.

His British counterpart, Mr Rob Macaire, stressed the role of a free Press as fundamental in a democracy, adding that "journalists have responsibility to hold themselves to high standards, but nothing justifies violent attacks on press freedom".

Macaire described the raid "as a shame" and paid tribute to the strength of the media.

MOA Chairman and Nation Media Group CEO Linus Gitahi said media owners were in solidarity with the Standard Group, describing the raid as "completely retrogressive and primitive and should not happen again in a country with any iota of democracy".

Standard Managing Editor Zipporah Musau said the Group would not relent and "shall endeavour to inform its readers in a bold, fearless and objective manner".

Hide and seek

Production and Quality Managing Editor Okech Kendo recalled the hide-and-seek games he played with the authorities after the raid.

Weekend Editions Managing Editor Kipkoech Tanui described the raid as "scandalous, slanderous, monstrous, outrageous and mind-boggling".

Terming the raid illegal, former Kabete MP Paul Muite, who chaired the parliamentary committee that probed the attack, faulted Mr Michuki’s justification of the raid when he appeared before the committee.

Michuki is reported to have said: "They were about to publish very serious things about a very sacred place. They were about to write something about the President."

But Muite asked: "How does that threaten public security?"

Rachuonyo MP James Rege promised to lobby for amendments in Parliament to ensure Kenya is guaranteed a free and independent Press.

Also present during the anniversary were Radio Africa CEO Patrick Quarcoo and US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Pamela Shultz, who represented ambassador Michael Ranneberger.