Media owners hand petition to Wako

Media owners on Tuesday presented a petition to the Attorney General outlining key proposals that if adopted are expected to restore media freedom in the country.

This comes after days of consultations amongst key players in the industry following President Mwai Kibaki’s signing into law the controversial Kenya Communications (Amendment) Act.

The Act has roundly been condemned by many as draconian and an affront to media freedom.

On Tuesday, the Media Owners Association, led by its chairman Mr Linus Gitahi, asked the Government to delete sections dealing with the broadcasting sector from the Kenya Communications Act 1998 and the now controversial section 88 of the Kenya Communications (Amendment) Act.

Section 88 of the Amendment Act gives the Internal Security minister the power to raid media houses and seize broadcast equipment.

And they suggested that subject to further consultations and consensus, the deleted sections, once amended be either transferred to the Media Act or they be treated as a separate Bill altogether.

Media owners also want the Government to specifically guarantee media freedom in the Constitution.

The media owners said many of the provisions relating to media regulation in both Acts were a duplication of the functions of the Media Council, a statutory body established under the Media Act.

Mr Wako agreed with the idea that media freedom be guaranteed in the constitution. “This is a critical area that will be looked into in the current constitutional review process,” he said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim on Tuesday suggested that any review of the new law would go nowhere, saying Parliament will “throw back” any proposed changes to the controversial law.

Mr Maalim was speaking during a public forum in Nairobi, where hopes were high that representatives of the media, the Government and Parliament would reconcile and support this process.

The Lagdera MP questioned President Kibaki’s authority to direct a review of the Act.