Media should remain objective to ensure fair, credible election

Journalists have, despite the heat and other enormous challenges, including harassment, intimidation and working in a hostile environment, maintained their professional obligation of giving fellow Kenyans critical information that will, hopefully, enable them to vote wisely in tomorrow’s elections.

It has been a culmination of serious work, heavy investment in financial and human resources for the media houses, so that they adequately and professionally cover the elections.

With the preparations and investment, we want to request journalists to remain professional and work within the various laws and regulations as provided for Constitution, various Acts, rules and regulations, and more importantly, guided by the editorial and operational guidelines of their media houses.

The media should not be used as a scapegoat, as has happened in the past.

ELECTION DESKS

Media houses have established election desks, acquired more equipment and hired more staff to ensure they have a presence in all the 290 constituencies.

Technical staff have been trained and arrangements made for the transmission of election results using the infrastructure provided by the IEBC, both on the portal and links with the commission’s results-generated system.

It will be long, tiring and demanding days for the journalists - the vital thing is the safety and professional obligation to report accurately.

Key things for the journalists will be preparation, especially ensuring that one is accredited by both the IEBC and the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) to be allowed to access voting and results transmission areas.

Others are ensuring the working condition of equipment, physical health, having critical contacts with security, editors, IEBC and colleagues, safety in movement, accommodation and food. 

TROUBLE SPOTS

Dress appropriately, carry extra batteries/tapes, chargers, painkillers, and water and always work with colleagues while avoiding trouble spots, such as crowds.

Media houses must enhance security around their premises and other offices and have contingency measures for staff.

It’s important that journalists observe the law so that they minimise conflicts with law enforcement agencies.

A number of laws and regulations have been released by the Communications Authority of Kenya, the National Cohesion and Integration Commission, the IEBC and the National Police Service, which must be followed.

Such regulations cover the release of election results, guidelines on the use of broadcast platforms, radio and TV, social media use (reinforces social media editorial guidelines by media houses), guidelines on election reporting,  and rules on advertisements. Journalists must remember the laws on balloting prohibitions, false publication of withdrawal of candidates (Elections Act), interfering with a voter in the casting of his vote in secret or revealing a voter’s marking of a ballot at an election (photographers/camerapersons note), and communicating with voters after receipt of ballot paper.

OPINION POLLS

There should be no publication of opinion polls five days prior to elections, defamation, influencing election results, and misreporting them.

Corruption and injecting public relations content during election campaign period is an issue that has faced Kenyan journalists during this period.

There is also the issue of fake news and the role it has so far and propaganda.

For the citizens to make well-informed decisions, there must be media that are free and reliable and that can be trusted.

The media must convey independent and diverse views while at the same time avoiding comments that can spark violent conflicts.

This can be achieved if the media are run in a professional manner and not compromised by the State or even corporate interests.

Mr Bwire works at the Media Council of Kenya as the programmes manager and journalists’ safety trainer. [email protected]