Editors’ Guild faults criticisms on media

The Kenya Editors Guild has expressed concern over President Uhuru Kenyatta’s criticism of the media.

Speaking at KICC in Nairobi yesterday, the chairman of the guild Macharia Gaitho said that the President devoted too much of his speech to what he called unjustified criticism of the media.

Speaking during the opening of the World Press Freedom Day activities on Friday, President Kenyatta accused journalists of breaching professional code of conduct by writing damaging stories.

Mr Kenyatta told journalists that they have no absolute freedom on what they publish or broadcast warning that the government will use its powers to defend those who could not protect themselves against the media.

“We share many of the sentiments expressed in his speech on Thursday in regard to the need to safeguard freedom of the media; the imperative for a truthful, honest, professional and responsible media; and the importance of the 4th Estate as an agent of social cohesion and development, a mirror of society and voice of the people,” said Mr Gaitho.

He noted that a few incidents where the media erred were blown out of proportion as if they reflect its general performance.

“In some 365 days of reporting from numerous daily newspapers, TV and radio stations, that so few examples could be found is actually a reflection of how responsible and professional the Kenyan media is,” said Mr Gaitho.

During the event, the President cited two headlines from local dailies in the recent past that State House has vigorously protested. “The two contentious laws that are currently suspended by the courts cannot be the guarantors of an independent media.”

Mr Gaitho noted that the editors are in agreement with the President on the need for an effective media regulatory environment but lamented that Mr Kenyatta had cited the same discredited laws rammed through the National Assembly despite the objections of media stakeholders. He was accompanied by who was accompanied by the guild’s David Ohito (vice-chairman), Hassan Kulundu (Acting secretary) and Jane Godia a member of the executive committee

BED FELLOWS

The Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communications and Technology had  Dr Fred Matiangi presented a slide-show put together by the Presidential Strategic Communications Unit, which Mr Gaitho said was  intended to demonstrate a series of erroneous or objectionable media content over the past year.

However, Secretary of Communication and State House Spokesperson Manoah Esipisu defended the President.

“All the President asked, is for media to embrace responsibility. That cannot be too much to ask,” said Mr Esipisu.

Mr Gaitho also raised concern over summoning of editors by State House saying that  it is  a strategy to intimidate  and harass  them.

“The summoning baffles us even more that they have been accompanied by commercial managers who have absolutely nothing to do with editorial decisions,” he said.

He said that they are worried that media managers and directors are succumbing to government threats and intimidation, and are in turn applying pressure on editors and journalists, who are now working in an environment of fear.

“This new forms of pressure from within represent the biggest threats to freedom of the media in Kenya since the end of one-party dictatorship,” he said.

The chairman added that any short-term gains will be wiped out by the eventual death of our robust, free and independent media that acts as watchdog of society and keeps a check on government excesses. 

“Media managers getting into bed with the government for temporary commercial gains, or out of solidarity with the present political leadership will spell the death of what has been about the most robust, independent and professional media in Africa,” Mr Gaitho said.

The chairman urged the media – owners, directors, editors and journalists – to remain firm and vigilant against the new threats to media freedom.

Mr Gaitho added that the Kenya Editors’ Guild is also worried about the pressure being applied to media houses to force compliance and kill-off critical reports and commentaries.

“In the past the government exerted crude pressure on journalists through the security agencies. Now we see a pattern of much more subtle and insidious pressures,” he said.

He went on: “We cannot properly celebrate today when under the threat of oppressive media laws, namely the amended Media Council Act and the Kenya Information and Communications Act that aim to take away the established system of self-regulation and bring back the dictatorial structures of State control.”

He alleged that the  government  had moved to rig the system so that it could ensure only compliant stooges would sit on the Selection Panels, ultimately leading to government-friendly nominations to the various bodies.

FRAUDSTERS AND IMPOSTERS

“This was done by the government sponsoring fraudsters and imposters who were secretly invited to sit on the Selection Panels after falsely representing themselves as the legitimate representatives of the media fraternity,” he said.

He said that the fraudsters presented forged documents to the Registrar of Societies purporting to have taken over such bodies as the Kenya Correspondents Associations, the Kenya Editors’ Guild and the Media Owners associations.

“It is on the basis of these fake returns that the government, obviously with pre-knowledge of what had occurred through its sponsorship, invited the fraudsters and imposters to sit on the Selection Panels,” he said.

He observed that presenting fake and forged returns to the Registrar of Societies is a criminal action that should be investigated and the culprits punished.

Mr Gaitho said that they have already alerted the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission about what happened and urged the Director of Criminal Investigations to look into the actions.