Ezekiel Mutua calls for a meeting to discuss proposed amendments to the film, stage plays and publications Act

Ezekiel Mutua,CEO,Kenya Film Classification Board at the Nairobi Safari Club hotel. May 4th,2016. Photo/Elvis Ogina (Nairobi)

The Kenya Film Classification Board has called for a consultative meeting for stakeholders in the creative arts to discuss proposed amendments to the laws governing classification and licensing of film, stage plays and publications.

The meeting will be held at the National Museums of Kenya tomorrow to have artistes, producers and directors discuss the document that is already causing concerns that it may bring back the old days of censorship.

But the board’s CEO Dr Ezekiel Mutua has been quick to allay fears that the law is out to muzzle the hard earned freedom of expression.

The new raft of proposals includes submission of scripts for vetting by the board accompanied with advertisement and communication materials for the planned production.

“The document is an action to respond to the exchanges and dynamics in the creative economy and all players are invited tomorrow for input,” he said adding that after the Nairobi meeting his team will travel to the counties for further input by country practitioners.

He noted that issues such as amounts chargeable for licensing will also be discussed to allow all affordability and that this was not a new law but an amendment t to the CAP 222 of the laws of Kenya.

Dr Mutua explained that the revision of the act, which was enacted in 1953, also seeks to accommodate emerging regulatory challenges, occasioned by new technological innovations in film production and distribution.

They will include Over The Top services (OTTs), Video On Demand services (VODs) and other online content streaming services among other online streaming services.

Activist Boniface Mwangi who runs the Pawa254 facility in Nairobi has asked Kenyan artistes to turn in their droves to discuss the proposed Bill.

In earlier regimes, “CAP 222 of the laws of Kenya was used stamp down and to control both film and theatrical productions,” he said on his Facebook page.

He recalled how the TV comedian group Redykyullass parodied the state the time and made history by breaking new ground hitherto unaccepted and became part of the second liberation.

He singled out Kamiriithu Theatre in Limuru under the stewardship of Ngungi wa Thiong’o as a good example of the wrath of such laws.

Other artistes took issue with the “Restricted class “ on stage plays given the fluid nature of creativity that see the original scripts develop through the producers and directors artistic licenses.

The meeting will be at the Louis Leakey auditorium from morning.