Kenya: IFJ Condemns Repressive Media Bill

Media Release
>
> June 14th 2002
>
> IFJ Condemns Repressive Media Bill in Kenya
>
> The International Federation of Journalists, the world's largest
journalist's
> group, and the Eastern Africa Journalist Association (EAJA), today
expressed
> their strong concern regarding the adoption of a repressive media law in
Kenya.
> "This unequivocal attempt by the government to control the media is
appalling",
> said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary.
>
> The new regulation provides that the bond executed by media publishers is
> increased from the current Kenya shillings 10,000 (US$128) to Kenya
shillings 1
> million (US$12,820). Failure to comply with the new law attracts a jail
term of
> three to five years, a 1 million shilling fine for first offenders and
> disqualification from owning or publishing a newspaper or magazine for
repeat
> offenders. Publishers must also submit at least two copies of their
publication
> to the registrar of Books and newspapers before going to the streets.
>
> The IFJ denounces this move, which jeopardizes the survival of hundreds of
> publications and puts at stake the very existence of press diversity in
Kenya.
> This situation is much alarming, in the light of the upcoming general
elections.
> The EAJA coordinator, Martin Ocholi, perceives the law as "a deliberate
and
> mischievous move by the ruling party and government to deny millions of
Kenyans
> their rights to free speech". The Kenyan Union of Journalists (KUJ) and
Ugandan
> Union of Journalists (UJU) also condemned firmly the application of the
media
> bill. "It has become a culture for African governments and their
parliaments to
> pass laws which are not only oppressive to the media, but also curtail
press
> freedom", stated the UJU general secretary Stephen Ouma.
>
> "The deteriorating situation of press freedom in Eastern Africa is a
matter of
> great concern", said White. "The Kenyan government too easily took a step
over
> the thin line between media policy and direct oppression", he added. "It
now has
> the duty to step back and protect the press freedom which is guaranteed by
the
> national constitution".
>
> Further information: 0032 2 232 2200
> The IFJ is the world largest organisation of journalists with more than
500,000
> members in more than 100 countries.
>
> **The information contained in this autolist item is the sole
responsibility of
> IFJ**
>