KENYA CHURCHES FIGHT MEDIA BILL !
Mr Kibaki has had an uneasy media relationship since last year's raid. Kenyan churches have urged President Mwai Kibaki not to sign an amendment to a media bill that requires journalists to disclose their sources.
The controversial amendment was passed by parliament last week.
The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) said the clause was an attempt by the state to control the media and would erode democratic gains.
However, Kenya's Justice Minister Martha Karua has dismissed such criticism as mere propaganda.
Last year, in a widely condemned move, armed masked policemen raided the Standard newspaper's printing press and switched off its television channel, KTN, for allegedly inciting ethnic hatred.
Critics claim that the amendment is not representative of parliament, as it was passed by only 29 out of 222 MPs.
Bishop Wabukala urged Mr Kibaki not to sign the bill.
"It is wrong for MPs to have passed the bill in the first place, and we as church leaders ask [President Mwai] Kibaki not to sign the bill into law," NCCK national chairman Bishop Eliud Wabukala said.
The amendment has also been condemned by opposition parties, civil society, media owners and foreign envoys, who say it would deal a deathblow to media practice.
"When a story includes unnamed parties who are not disclosed and the same becomes the subject of a legal tussle as to who is meant, then the editor shall be obliged to disclose the identity of the party or parties referred to," the clause states.
Media owners say the law is unethical and unconstitutional as journalists have a duty to protect their sources, and that it would cripple investigative journalism.
They say that without such kind of stories, major corruption scandals such as Anglo Leasing and Goldenberg would never have been unearthed.
These scandals have embarrassed President Kibaki's government, which was elected on a pledge to fight corruption.
The opposition Orange Democratic Movement-Kenya has threatened to move to court to block the signing of the bill by President Kibaki.
BBC NEWS REPORT.The controversial amendment was passed by parliament last week.
The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) said the clause was an attempt by the state to control the media and would erode democratic gains.
However, Kenya's Justice Minister Martha Karua has dismissed such criticism as mere propaganda.
Last year, in a widely condemned move, armed masked policemen raided the Standard newspaper's printing press and switched off its television channel, KTN, for allegedly inciting ethnic hatred.
Critics claim that the amendment is not representative of parliament, as it was passed by only 29 out of 222 MPs.
Bishop Wabukala urged Mr Kibaki not to sign the bill.
"It is wrong for MPs to have passed the bill in the first place, and we as church leaders ask [President Mwai] Kibaki not to sign the bill into law," NCCK national chairman Bishop Eliud Wabukala said.
The amendment has also been condemned by opposition parties, civil society, media owners and foreign envoys, who say it would deal a deathblow to media practice.
"When a story includes unnamed parties who are not disclosed and the same becomes the subject of a legal tussle as to who is meant, then the editor shall be obliged to disclose the identity of the party or parties referred to," the clause states.
Media owners say the law is unethical and unconstitutional as journalists have a duty to protect their sources, and that it would cripple investigative journalism.
They say that without such kind of stories, major corruption scandals such as Anglo Leasing and Goldenberg would never have been unearthed.
These scandals have embarrassed President Kibaki's government, which was elected on a pledge to fight corruption.
The opposition Orange Democratic Movement-Kenya has threatened to move to court to block the signing of the bill by President Kibaki.
Kenyans are going to the polls in December to elect a president and parliament.
Labels: Kenya Churces Scandals Block Bill Protect NCCK Raid Corruption Media Gains Ethnic-hatred
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