Kenya bans radio and TV news reports ‘in the interest of public safety and tranquility’
In another heart-warming example of democracy in action, the Kenyan internal security Ministry ordered radio and television station to cease news reporting (Sunday, December 30). The re-election of President Mwai Kibaki has spawned riots throughout the country.
"I am directed by the Minister for Internal Security John Michuki that in the interest of public safety and tranquility I order the immediate suspension of live broadcast until further notice," Information Ministry spokesperson Bitange Ndemo said in a statement, reported by AFP.
Election results were announced on State-operated Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), all other media being barred.
The Internal Security Ministry’s directive also requires all media to stop all broadcasts “of inciting or alarming material.” Similar demands were not made of print media.
KBC is facing further scrutiny by media watchers both inside and outside Kenya. Monitoring the elections, the Commonwealth Observer Group, headed by former Sierra Leone President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, faulted KBC for failing to provide balanced coverage.
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) issued a report (December 13) saying only KBC radio and television stations failed to follow Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK)media guidelines and showed bias toward President Kibaki. There was, said the report, “ a fair attempt by the mainstream media to adhere to the code of conduct and practice of journalism in Kenya and to the guidelines for election coverage in Kenya.”
"KBC has let us down,” said Kenya’s election commissioner Samuel Kivuitu a fortnight ago. “We pay taxes and you know how we are pushed with taxes. This money is the one which runs KBC." - Michael Hedges December 31, 2007
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Campaigns by public television to encourage election voting characterize civic responsibility. Democratic participation in elections is a good thing. Encouraging that participation is also a good thing.
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