[Kictanet] Re: Burning and Closure of Standard Media Group

[alice at apc.org]

Well....my take



Our history of independence can be traced and evaluated on the basis of the 
struggles for freedom of the media and the treatment of media professionals. 
If you all recall, the struggle for more democratic political environment, 
also contributed to the growth of alternative press and an increase in 
confidence in our mainstream media to publish more objectively. What is 
extremely disturbing about this incident is the fact that there is still no 
single law regulating media in Kenya. Only the Constitution, and a range of 
Acts. Most of the acts were inherited from the colonial government, and 
still provide for tight government control on information and mass media.

 As a result the media suffers an ever-present threat of being censored or 
stifled should the political establishment or individuals within it feel 
uncomfortable or threatened. What happened yesterday was the old state 
repression rearing its head using public security and sedition as an excuse 
to engage in crude activities, including arresting, detaining, harassing, 
etc persons producing and disseminating information that was critical or 
embarrassing to government.

Granted that the media MUST exercise their freedom with responsibility, but 
there exits internationally accepted mechanisms for seeking redress through 
the law, including our Kenya Telecommunication Act, which clearly spells out 
the procedures to be followed under similar circumstances.

alice
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Brian Longwe" <brian at pure-id.com>
To: <alice at apc.org>
Sent: Thursday, March 02, 2006 3:46 PM
Subject: Re: [Kictanet] Re: Burning and Closure of Standard Media Group


> I'm afraid on this one I agree with Wainaina - if it weren't for the 
> irresponsible reporting there wouldn't have been opportunity (or  excuse) 
> for this kind of "retaliation"
>
> Having said that, though, I think that this is going to provide our 
> government (which is currently undergoing some very pleasing reforms)  an 
> opportunity to really curtail and/or limit police actions.
>
> The incident yesternight raises several fundamental questions:
> 1) did the police have a court order to enter premises?
> 2) had they requested (and been denied) access to the premises?
> 3) Did they have a court order to confiscate any equipment?
> 4) Did they have authority to use force?
>
> I would be very interested to see an estimate from the Standard Media 
> Group in terms of business loss - considering the $$$$ they charge  for 
> advertising, both on air and print.... would be even more  interesting to 
> see who their lawyers decide to hold responsible and  send the bill to...
>
> I hope they don't back down and actually mount a full frontal to get  to 
> the bottom of this...
>
> There are definitely some people somewhere who need to answer...
>
> Brian
>
>
> On 2 Mar 2006, at 15:15, Sidarec wrote:
>
>> Wainana talks as if it was only barbaric to do such things as is 
>> happening
>> now under Moi. Now that it is Kibaki, Media has become  irresponsible, 
>> and
>> should be burnished. We kenyans tend to forget yesteryears when the 
>> country
>> was under siege. What is happening to me today, it does not matter  what
>> tribe it is happening to, every kenyans should stand up to be  counted. 
>> Today
>> it is me tommorrow it is YOU. If I don't raise my voice because it  is 
>> not
>> touching me, tommorrow it will be you, and God knows how it will  end. We
>> must stand up and be counted at this hour of need. This is an  affront to 
>> our
>> way of life; We fought for this freedom, and it was not gioven to  us 
>> free,
>> many people died for this course,and this government was elected on  that
>> premise; to uphold the rule of law; it is not about Standard  Newspaper 
>> of
>> the KNT, it is about Kenyans on asault.
>>
>> George
>>
>>
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