Stop the Presses Literally

While many fault our news media (especially Bill O'Reilly and Rusch Limbaugh) for being mean to our politicians, at least they get to be mean and one-sided. As for me, I love my journalism slanted towards the left and am a great devotee of Keith Oberman, others can always choose Fox news for the opposing view.

Kenya, however, has gone to the extreme. Last year at this time, when elections loomed large and killing was wrapped under the Chrismas tree, there were hints of what was to come. Indeed when full scale rioting and killing did occur Kibeki shut down the presses and News Networks for over a month. It was astounding to watch and the world did weigh in.

They're at it again and no one seems to be watching. The bill brought before Parliment is amazing for what is called a democracy. The government wants to decide what the news can and can't report under the guise of preserving the peace in the country. The MP's are particularly touchy about being criticized for not paying their taxes while reaping huge salaries and living in the best part of Nairobi. However no one can report it better than a newspaper that hasn't quite been shut down. So without further ado from The Standard Newspaper 17 December 2008

Call for caution

As legislators celebrated last week’s passing of the draconian law against the media and called for additional measures, Raila, Mutula Dr Simiyu Eseli (Kimilili, Ford-Kenya) and Nyong’o called for caution against Press censorship.

Assistant Minister Danson Mungatana opened the tirade against when he accused the media of plotting to bring down Parliament and influence President Kibaki not to assent to the Bill. He asked Speaker Kenneth Marende to censure the Press over the coverage of the passing of the Bill.

"The President must sign that Bill," Mr Mungatana thundered, and accused MPs opposed to the Bill of "playing to the gallery".

He claimed that besides attempting to gag Parliament, the Press was trying to incite public disaffection over MPs’ refusal to pay taxes on their hefty allowances.

"There is a serious campaign against this Parliament by the local media and internationally over the Kenya Communications (Amendment) Bill," Mungatana said.

He claimed that the Press was inciting international hatred against the Tenth Parliament.

Assistant Minister David Musila accused US Ambassador Michael Ranneberger and his German counterpart Walter Lindner of "meddling in the affairs of this country and Parliament for questioning why we passed that Bill".

He asked Mr Marende "to stop them (envoys) from meddling in the affairs of the nation" and restrain the media for "purporting to fight for freedom".

But Raila cautioned MPs against reintroducing "the dark days of dictatorship" and said Parliament, however aggrieved, cannot wish away the pivotal role of a free Press in a democracy.

Raila said although Parliament is the supreme authority of the land, respect for "the Fourth Estate is equally important and must be respected. We have come a long way from the day of dictatorship when most people could not dare to address a Press conference, when torture was the order of the day".

He said any law that threatened Press freedom was an assault on democracy "that we fought so hard to bring. Any attempt to gag the Press needs to be resisted strongly".

Seeking publicity

But Uhuru, who is also a Deputy Prime Minister, accused the PM and opponents of the Bill of "seeking publicity and pursuing personal political agendas" and asked Marende to censure the media and "restore the rule of law in this country and supremacy of Parliament in this land".

Eseli said although the media have been censured for fanning violence early this year, reforming the Press must not be counterproductive.

"What shall we do with the media? As we try to reform the media, let us not try and gag them because they are also our mouthpiece," he said.

Nyong’o urged members to isolate emotions from the process of reforming the media and debate over their taxation. He said Parliament’s supremacy must not be turned into a clichÈ to evade legitimate censure of the legislature.

He said: "Let us isolate this problem from other issues and deal with it (Bill) rather than hang the Press and hang ourselves.

"After we have restored democracy, there should be no attempt to travel one step backwards," he said.

Mutula said although Parliament is the supreme legislative authority, it cannot remain indifferent to public sensitivity and international concerns. He said Parliament’s authority on making laws "is subject to audit by the country and international community".

Assistant Minister Bifwoli Wakoli asked the Speaker to take action against MPs who absented themselves from Parliament during crucial debate "taking beer as we make laws only to vilify us outside the House".

Marende will make a ruling "at the earliest opportune time" after asking the media and politicians to exercise restraint on the matter.

Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni censured legislators distancing themselves from the Bill, saying all members were responsible.

Assistant Minister Kabando wa Kabando called for the serialisation of the draconian law so that more Kenyans could critique it.
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