Fourth Estate’s dark year as State enforces draconian law

Journalists protest enactment of the Kenya Information Communication Amendment and Media Council Bills. [PHOTOS: FILE/ STANDARD]

By MAUREEN ODIWUOR

As the year comes to a close, journalists look back with little to cheer about in 2013.

Besides media gagging, the curtains on 2013 threatened to also come down on a gloomy note after key television stations, KTN, NTV and Citizen TV lost the first round of the case to have the migration from analogue to digital broadcasting momentarily halted, among other legal requests.

However, on Friday Media Owners got a reprieve after the Court of Appeal ordered the Communications Commission of Kenya to reinstate analogue broadcast for 45 days pending the determination of the case on February 6.

This ideally means that, fans of the three television stations, which command a combined viewership of 80 per cent nationally, will have to acquire the set top boxes before then to avoid being shut out when the analogue signal will be switched off after the window period elapses.

And separately, journalists have been harassed while on duty. This year alone, one journalist died while over 30 others are living in fear for rubbing shoulders the wrong way in the line of duty.

Intimidate

Kenya Union of Journalists’ (KUJ) Chairman Peter Leftie says things are likely to worsen with the enactment of the Kenya Information Communication Amendment (KICA) and Media Council Bills 2013.

He says the Bills are designed to intimidate the media a situation experienced during the pre and post independence era.

“In the early years of this country, journalists were rounded up, harassed, kidnapped and killed. The trend stopped but seems to be coming back,” he says.

According to the Eastern Africa Freedom of Expression Status Booklet January-October 2013 released by Article 19 indicates that 21 incidents of harassment were recorded against Kenyan media personalities.

Seven of the incidents affected print reporters and six other media workers. A Mombasa based correspondent with the Star newspaper, Bernard Wesonga was found dead in his house in April with blood on his nose and mouth.

The report indicates that he had previously received threats by SMS regarding a story he covered over claims of unlawful shipment and sale of fertiliser.

Koch FM’s Leonard Njeru was arrested while covering an incident  in Korogocho slums, Nairobi, where a police officer shot dead an eight-year-old girl. He was later released and his camera confiscated.

On May 13, a freelance journalist Job Ong’era was arrested for filming a traffic police officer collecting bribes from motorists and his camera, recorder and press card confiscated. He was later arraigned in court on false charges of ‘attempting to bribe a police officer’.

A Mombasa-based photojournalist Kevin Odit was arrested for taking pictures of officers carrying out a swoop on drug peddlers in Kisauni area. He was released after images on his camera were deleted.

Frontier FM’s Ahmed Abdi and Mohamed Isse were arrested for not having proper press accreditation despite Abdi having refugee status while Isse being a Kenyan. They were released after five days.

It was also a blow for the media when they were expelled from the parliamentary Press gallery in June, after members of the National Assembly accused them of portraying them negatively in public.

The National Assembly Clerk Justin Bundy and Seargent-at-arms officials ordered journalists to vacate the premises to create room for MPs. The ban was lifted on September 27th by Speaker Justin Muturi.

On January 20th, a Nation photographer and NTV Camera man Dennis Okeyo and John Otanga were allegedly assaulted by General Service Unit officers in Kibera slums while covering demonstrations by youths.

Their cameras and memory cards were confiscated despite identifying themselves. The police promised to investigate the attacks.

On January 9th, journalists from various Media Networks were attacked by angry villagers at Nduru village in Tana Delta where they had gone to cover a raid that left at least 10 people dead.

The report indicates that six incidents of attacks on journalists also occurred. African Press International’s Geofrey Wamalwa was attacked with a matchete and iron bar in Webuye, barely a week after he highlighted corruption, mismanagement and harassment at a mission hospital in the area.

In March, the Star newspaper journalist from Homa Bay, Habil Onyango was kicked and punched by paramilitary security personnel as he covered a confrontation between two rival candidates.

A Citizen Weekly Journalist Shem Kosse reported at Kisumu’s Central Police station on Thursday this week after he received threats from a famous club manager for allegedly writing a story revealing how twilight girls lace people’s drinks in the bar.

Kisumu Media Max photojournalist James Keyi was recently threatened by unknown people after he posted a picture of an alleged land grabber being undressed by the public.

Arrest

The Article 19 report further indicates that 12 cases of threats were reported, with the latest one being that of Standard Group’s KTN Journalists John Allan Namu and Mohammed Ali.

This was after Inspector General David Kimaiyo threatened to arrest them following a report on Kenya Defence Force looting at Westgate Mall.

On January 24, Milele FM’s Milcah Kimani reported at Kitale Police Station after she received a threatening text message from an anonymous person.

In May, the Star Journalist Shaban Makokha was threatened by a governor’s supporters.

He recorded a statement at Mumias Police Station. Makokha claimed that he was twice accosted for highlighting cane farmer’s concerns over Kakamega Governor Wicliffe Oparanya’s decision to live in Mumias managerial estate.