[Kictanet] Kenya ICT Action Network Condemns Overnight Raid on STANDARD AND KTN Offices
Wainaina Mungai
wainaina at madeinkenya.org
Sat Mar 4 14:25:19 EAT 2006
Hi Malaba,
I was under the impression that a "KICTANET statement" is a joint statement that needs wider consultation so as to legitimise the words below....because KICTANet does not exist without its membership. I may have been wrong.
> > > We the members of the Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet), a multistakeholder group of organisations > > > and networks from civil society, private
> > > sector, media, academia, and development partners
Wainaina
> -------Original Message-------
> From: David Sparrow Malaba <sdmalaba at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: [Kictanet] Kenya ICT Action Network Condemns Overnight Raid on STANDARD AND KTN Offices
> Sent: 04 Mar '06 11:31
>
> Dear Colleagues,
> I feel that as members of KICTANET, each one of us is
> free including our organizations to take a particular
> stand on any issue or issues at any time as they
> arise. But if Mr. Mungai is suggesting that in future
> we make joint press statements, then that is something
> else, that may perhaps require consultation from
> members. Some events do not provide us with adequate
> opportunity to consult each other.
>
> Let us play our roles even if it means commenting on
> any issue without fear of contradiction or even being
> labeled or victimised by members.
>
> Kind regards
> David Malaba
> The Computer Society of Kenya
>
>
> --- "Made in Kenya.org" <info at madeinkenya.org> wrote:
>
> > Dear all,
> >
> > Just out of curiousity, who was consulted in the
> > drafting of this statement? As a member, I am
> > totally in the dark on this one. AS much as I
> > support the condemnation of the police action, I
> > must distance myself from this one-sided and
> > apparently unilaterally drafted statement that seems
> > to be in denial of the reality in Kenya today. Media
> > freedom is not absolute and Kenyan consumers have a
> > right to access accurate and unbiased information
> > from the media and other sources.
> >
> > The statement will only serve to sanitise misconduct
> > by the local media. KICTANet should not be seen as a
> > trade association where irresponsible media finds
> > solace. I hope that will not be the message
> > KICTANet will pass on to participants at the planned
> > "Media and ICTs workshop next week (March 10-13) in
> > Mombasa. All freedoms, especially the freedom of the
> > press must be exercised with restraint. Media
> > freedom carries with it alot of power and power has
> > corrupted a significant section of our media.
> >
> > The unilateral decision to draft and circulate a
> > statement on behalf of KICTANet despite protests
> > from some members (no matter how few) should not be
> > presented in a manner to imply that it is the
> > collective view of the network.
> >
> > Even the Media Owners Association did a much better
> > job by demanding that its membership exercise
> > responsible journalism. For that, I must
> > congratulate the MoA for exercising objectivity and
> > advice KICTANet to make an honest attempt at such
> > objectivity in future.
> >
> > Sincerely,
> >
> > Wainaina Mungai
> >
> > > -------Original Message-------
> > > From: alice at apc.org
> > > Subject: [Kictanet] Kenya ICT Action Network
> > Condemns Overnight Raid on STANDARD AND KTN Offices
> > > Sent: 03 Mar '06 10:27
> > >
> > > Press Release
> > >
> > > Kenya ICT Action Network Condemns Overnight Raid
> > on STANDARD AND KTN Offices
> > >
> > > 3 March 2006
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > are shocked and outraged
> > > by the recent actions meted by the government on
> > the standard group.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On Wednesday, 1 March 2006, the Government of
> > Kenya launched an
> > > unprecedented and vicious attack on the STANDARD
> > GROUP premises, harassed
> > > the journalists, confiscated equipment,
> > interrupted TV transmission and
> > > burned copies of the day’s newspaper edition.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > The Government has detained and continues to hold
> > in detention three
> > > Standard journalists apparently for misreporting
> > that a leading opposition
> > > politician had secretly met the President at
> > State House.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > When interviewed, the Internal Security Minister
> > Hon. Muchuki did not deny
> > > the government’s involvement in this horrifying
> > event of March 1st stating
> > > state security as the reason behind the
> > government’s actions.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > We see this as crude and gross abuse of power and
> > our constitution.
> > >
> > > At a recent ICT strategy conference held at the
> > safari park hotel his
> > > Excellency the president of Kenya unveiled
> > Kenya’s ICT strategy, whose main
> > > objective is “ transforming Kenya’s economy
> > through promoting and
> > > facilitating the private sector to serve as the
> > driver for economic
> > > development”. This crude action contradicts the
> > government’s recent
> > > objectives to maintain a favourable climate for
> > investment and creation of
> > > jobs for Kenyan’s. No investor would place their
> > money in an environment
> > > where the rule of law and order is disregarded
> > with utmost impunity.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > This action is also reminiscent of the dark days
> > in Kenya when the media was
> > > constantly harassed in order to suppress the
> > freedom of expression, thought
> > > and association. The action demonstrates that
> > the Government, which is the
> > > custodian of law and order is not committed to
> > the rule of law as the basic
> > > foundation for a modern and civilised society.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Whereas the Government may be validly aggrieved,
> > there are established and
> > > internationally acceptable mechanisms for seeking
> > redress through the courts
> > > of law. The Kenya Telecommunication Act (1998
> > revised 2001) clearly spells
> > > out the procedures that should be followed in the
> > event that a Media House
> > > needs to be shutdown.
> > >
> > > KICATNet translates this action as an attempt to
> > frighten the independent
> > > media, limit Kenyan’s political space and erode
> > our human rights. It is also
> > > a gross violation of our constitution.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > KICTANet therefore strongly condemns the
> > government’s actions and stands in
> > > solidarity with the Kenyan media and particularly
> > our colleagues at the
> > > standard media group. We take this opportunity
> > to remind the government of
> > > Kenya that the foundation of a sound democracy is
> > the right to information
> > > and freedom of press.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > It is therefore imperative that the Government
> > quickly moves to restore not
> > > just investor confidence but also citizens’
> > confidence in protection of our
> > > fundamental human rights and democratic space
> > that has been gained largely
> > > due to a free press.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > KICTANet is appalled by the actions and urges the
> > Minister(s) and the
> > > Agency/ies involved to publicly apologise and
> > expeditiously restore the
> > > services of the Media House as well as paying for
> > all the losses that the
> > > standard group have incurred.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet)
> > >
> > >
> > > Contact Details for the network
> > >
> > > Judy Kimiti
> > >
> > > jkimiti at email.kictanet.or.ke
> > >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > kictanet mailing list
> > kictanet at kictanet.or.ke
> > http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
> >
> > Please unsubscribe or change your options at
> >
> http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/sdmalaba%40yahoo.com
> >
> === message truncated ===
>
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
> http://mail.yahoo.com
>
> ---
> Submitted by: Sparrow David Malaba - KITC <sdmalaba at yahoo.com> 2006-03-04 03:40:01 EST5
> (Please reply to original submitter for private communication)
> ---
> You are currently subscribed to kiplist-cl as: [wainaina.mungai at oneworld.net]
> To unsubscribe, forward this message to leave-kiplist-cl-117112D at lyris.idrc.ca
>
>
More information about the KICTANet
mailing list