Use media responsibly, Kibaki urges

President Kibaki on Wednesday called for responsible use of emerging media and pledged that the industry will continue to regulate itself.

While noting that new media such as Twitter and Facebook had enabled faster access to information, he said users of such networks need to exercise restraint.

“Young people should view new media as modern empowering tools and not avenues to corrupt their morals,” President Kibaki said.

He was speaking at the East African Journalists Convention held at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, Nairobi.

The conference brings together media practitioners from Uganda, Tanzania, Southern Sudan, Rwanda and Somalia to discuss how media freedom could be harnessed to cultivate social responsibility while holding the country’s leadership to account.

The President pledged that the media would continue to regulate itself.

“We will continue to support the media to be free, fair and responsible in conducting their business as laid out in our Constitution.”

He asked the Media Council to step up efforts to curb vulgar talk and obscene scenes on TV.

President Kibaki praised Kenyan media houses for the fast manner in which they had adopted the use of technology to reach a large number of people.

“I was pleased to learn that Kenyans are the second biggest users of Twitter in Africa. Moreover, the number of Facebook users in our country is now approaching two million,” the President said.

Kenya, the conference heard, is also the first African country to launch an open data portal to improve transparency and access to government information.

Access to information

“Information is for the common public good, and should, therefore, be made readily available. We are determined to ensure that this happens,” President Kibaki told the delegates.

Other topics to be discussed in the conference include how the media covers elections in the continent.

The President noted that the industry had a sensitive role to play especially in Kenya where the country will be headed to the polls in less than a year’s time.

Media houses will be expected to lead peace campaigns that enhance national cohesion and integration.

He challenged the industry to demonstrate objectivity, balance and sensitivity in news coverage “particularly in this period of competitive politics.”

The council’s chairman, Prof Levy Obonyo noted that they were developing a standard training curriculum for journalism in the country to stop the mushrooming of bogus colleges.

Dr Harun Mwangi, the council director, said they planned to make the conference an annual event to be held during celebrations to mark the World Press Freedom day.

The conference ends on Friday where awards for media personalities will be presented.

Speaking in the meeting. Kenya Editors Guild chairman Macharia Gaitho cited the pursuit of profits, political, religious or ethnic causes as instances under which the local media might be accused of abdicating its social responsibility.