Generally, <br><br>Motive Theory:<br><br>The media understand and confront governments in an organised and best sustained manner because they make their money informing on ugly government under-belly.<br><br>Governments view snoopy media as "spoilers" of their *absolute* authority.In this case, the media rightfully deserves an elevated status on FOI(A)<br><br>The day the media and government agree 100 per cent, I will apply to have my name changed. <br><br>Having said that, there my also be a need to have a media watch institute to check on coverage excesses (such as elections coverage) for the sake of consumers bombarded with conflicting messages.<br><br>rgds,<br><br><br>Alex <br><br><b><i>John Walubengo <jwalu@yahoo.com></i></b> wrote:<blockquote class="replbq" style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); margin-left: 5px; padding-left: 5px;"> Interesting and relevant news I have bumbed into below:<br><br>Boost to media freedom as court dismisses State
order<br>By Jibril Adan(STANDARD NEWSPAPER 14th Feb 2007)<br><br>Press freedom received a major boost after the High Court<br>stopped a Government attempt to muzzle the media. While<br>nullifying a law requiring all television stations to<br>submit what they intend to broadcast for approval, the<br>court said there was no pressing social need for the<br>intended act.<br><br>It said the planned move amounted to infringement of<br>Kenyans rights. The law would even have required media<br>houses to seek clearance for live broadcasts. "This is an<br>outrage and an affront to democracy," said a Bench<br>comprising Justice Joseph Nyamu and Justice Milton<br>Makhandia.<br><br>They were giving their verdict in a case challenging a<br>Kenya Gazette notice issued by then Information minister,<br>Mr Musalia Mudavadi.<br><br>The Story continues in todays Standard Daily @<br>http://www.eastandard.net/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143964847<br><br>walu.<br>nb: mmhh...I would have
imagined the current .KE government<br>would have withdrawn such a case rather than let it run<br>into the current embarassing ruling. But maybe...could<br>there be a chance that there are some people (in Govt) who<br>may have wanted to win such a case? Interesting development<br>and ruling...<br><br>--- joseph kihanya <kihanyajn@yahoo.com> wrote:<br><br>> Hi,<br>> <br>> Thanks Walu.<br>> <br>> Between my Intro and your post I think that is the<br>> summary for the day!<br>> <br>> Alex, I am making a comment on your post too.<br>> <br>> Oh well, day 4 approaches.<br>> <br>> All the three days themes are open to all until friday <br>> when I must summarise al comments to present on Tuesday<br>> 20th .<br>> <br>> Kihanya<br>> <br>> ----- Original Message ----<br>> From: John Walubengo <jwalu@yahoo.com><br>> To: kihanyajn@yahoo.com<br>> Sent: Wednesday, February 14, 2007 3:42:08 PM<br>> Subject: Re:
[kictanet] Day 3: What Policies should<br>> inform the FOI?<br>> <br>> <br>> Thanx Kihanya for your efforts. Indeed this is a fairly<br>> un-convential topic in that it has no obvious or<br>> immediate<br>> financial connotations - hence the slower responses...<br>> <br>> But back to my contribution. I think the policy<br>> informing<br>> the Freedom Of Information bill should look towards<br>> empowering the citizens through facilitating their access<br>> to knowledge/information. We need to think through how<br>> our<br>> collective data regarding our heritage, history, social<br>> and<br>> economic transactions can be harnessed and made to serve<br>> the common good.<br>> <br>> I know this bill has tended to create controversy because<br>> it has often been looked at in the narrow terms of the<br>> Govt<br>> vs the Media i.e. Media seeks info visa-vis Govt sits on<br>> Info. True, this could be
one of the issues but it should<br>> not limit our scope because the bill should be a<br>> reflection<br>> of broader policy issues that touch on different data<br>> sitting on various platforms such as (Private) Media<br>> Broadcasters, Mobile service providers, ISPs, eBankers,<br>> etc. <br>> <br>> How for example can KTN be asked to share (or sell) their<br>> valuable film clips to the Kenya Archives dept? How can<br>> the<br>> East African Standard avail their 100years+ data to the<br>> public? When or Why should Safaricom/Celtel divulge the<br>> SMS transcript of a certain subscriber to the Police, to<br>> the Media or the Private Investigator? What kind of data<br>> security standards and practices should we place for<br>> critical and national data stores such as KRA, KPA,<br>> Immigration, etc? What of the Certification Authority<br>> (CA)<br>> providers that are likely to play a cenral role in a<br>>
future<br>> eCommerce environment, how will they collect, protect and<br>> avail their data?<br>> <br>> So I think these are some of the Policy issues that need<br>> to<br>> be thrashed out in the process of coming up with the<br>> final<br>> FOI bill.<br>> <br>> walu.<br>> <br>> <br>> <br>> <br>> <br>> --- joseph kihanya <kihanyajn@yahoo.com> wrote:<br>> <br>> > Dear All,<br>> > <br>> > I trust we may now move on to day 3. Those with<br>> comments<br>> > still on day 1 and 2 can still do so.<br>> > The themes were...<br>> > <br>> > Day 1: Why Freedom of Information (FOI) Act?<br>> > Day 2: What are the current modalities for accessing<br>> data<br>> > held by Data Handlers (Govt or Private Sector)?<br>> > <br>> > <br>> > Today's topic really looks as to waht should be the<br>> basic<br>> > reasoning behind the FOI policy and hence
law.<br>> > <br>> > The principles listed hereunder have been recognized by<br>> > Article 19 ( an international organizatioin dealing<br>> with<br>> > freedomm of te press and related issues) as what should<br>> > guide the FOI laws(policy).<br>> > <br>> > PRINCIPLE 1. Maximum disclosure <br>> > <br>> > That the law should seek this as its underpinning<br>> > philosophy.<br>> > <br>> > PRINCIPLE 2. Obligation to publish<br>> > <br>> > That there should be an obligation to publish and<br>> > requests should be for non-crucial/ essential / bulky<br>> > information.<br>> > <br>> > PRINCIPLE 3. Promotion of open government <br>> > <br>> > That the law should promote / recognise the<br>> importance<br>> > of open government.<br>> > <br>> > PRINCIPLE 4. Limited scope of exceptions<br>> > <br>> > That the exceptions
should be clear , precise and<br>> > allowable in a democratic society/ i,e should not take<br>> > away what the law seeks to grant.<br>> > <br>> > PRINCIPLE 5. Processes to facilitate access<br>> > <br>> > Clear processes for request should exist.<br>> > <br>> > PRINCIPLE 6. Costs<br>> > <br>> > These should be kept at a minimum for the public has<br>> > already paid for the creation of the information<br>> through<br>> > taxation.<br>> > <br>> > PRINCIPLE 7. Open meetings <br>> > <br>> > Other than informnation, there should bea promotion of<br>> > open dialogue at decsion making level.<br>> > <br>> > PRINCIPLE 8. Disclosure takes precedence <br>> > <br>> > The tests that are to be applied by the commssioner and<br>> > the appeal tribunal should seek disclosre unless the<br>> > exceptions and the public interest demand
otherwise.<br>> > <br>> > PRINCIPLE 9. Protection for whistleblowers <br>> > <br>> > That those who disclose information that is in the<br>> public<br>> > interest, inspite of the exceptions should not be<br>> > victimised/ should be protected.<br>> > <br>> > <br>> > Lets go!<br>> > <br>> > Kihanya<br>> > <br>> > <br>> > <br>> ><br>><br>____________________________________________________________________________________<br>> > Finding fabulous fares is fun. <br>> > Let Yahoo! FareChase search your favorite travel sites<br>> to<br>> > find flight and hotel bargains.<br>> > http://farechase.yahoo.com/promo-generic-14795097<br>> > <br>> > _______________________________________________<br>> > kictanet mailing list<br>> > kictanet@kictanet.or.ke<br>> > http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet<br>> > <br>>
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