The Kenyan government routinely acts against the press through legal and extralegal means. During December 2007 political unrest government banned all live broadcast reporting from the first day of was only partially followed, was poorly disturbances, 30 December. “The ban defended by the authorities and not (RSF, 2008) lifted until 4 February 2008.” Journalists continue to be held for alleged offences without a case in early due process. “In 2006, two journalists from the Standard newspaper were held for publishing an allegedly an alleged meeting of President Mwai Kibaki with a powerful ‘false’ story regarding opposition politician. The two arrested journalists were held without clarity as to which law they had 2006). contravened” (AMDI, There have been several recent examples of 2007) on press offices. In ‘physical attack’ (RSF March 2006 the offices of the independent daily the were raided by armed police Standard journalists were arrested for questioning in connection with a story of officers. “Three political intrigue within the government. Approximately 20,000 copies of the March 2 issue were seized and burned, printing equipment was vandalized, and computers were confiscated. A similar armed raid resulted in the closure of the national broadcasting station, Kenya Television Network, which is also owned by the Standard (Freedom House, 2007). Group” Reporters Without Borders describes several more such raids on other media offices in 2006, involving the arrest of staff to (RSF 2007) ‘settle scores’. The government advised public sector groups not to advertise in the Standard Group media in a public services ministry email circulated at the beginning of April 2007 after The Standard reported on an alleged plot by a government minister to kill the former president’s son. (IPI, 2007) A number of investigative journalists have received threats and politicians have interfered in newsrooms. For example, in 2006 First Lady Lucy Kibaki forced her way into offices belonging to in order to complain about negative coverage she had received, and The Nation hit a cameraman (MSI, 2007). Economics, training and supporting institutions and ethics issues in Kenya
The Kenyan government routinely acts against the press through legal and extralegal means. During December 2007 political unrest government banned all live broadcast reporting from the first day of disturbances, 30 December. “The ban was only partially followed, was poorly defended by the authorities and not lifted until 4 February 2008.” (RSF, 2008) Journalists continue to be held for alleged offences without due process. “In a case in early 2006, two journalists from the Standard newspaper were held for publishing an allegedly ‘false’ story regarding an alleged meeting of President Mwai Kibaki with a powerful opposition politician. The two arrested journalists were held without clarity as to which law they had contravened” (AMDI, 2006). There have been several recent examples of ‘physical attack’ (RSF 2007) on press offices. In March 2006 the offices of the independent daily the Standard were raided by armed police officers. “Three journalists were arrested for questioning in connection with a story of political intrigue within the government. Approximately 20,000 copies of the March 2 issue were seized and burned, printing equipment was vandalized, and computers were confiscated. A similar armed raid resulted in the closure of the national broadcasting station, Kenya Television Network, which is also owned by the Standard Group” (Freedom House, 2007). Reporters Without Borders describes several more such raids on other media offices in 2006, involving the arrest of staff to ‘settle scores’. (RSF 2007) The government advised public sector groups not to advertise in the Standard Group media in a public services ministry email circulated at the beginning of April 2007 after The Standard reported on an alleged plot by a government minister to kill the former president’s son. (IPI, 2007) A number of investigative journalists have received threats and politicians have interfered in newsrooms. For example, in 2006 First Lady Lucy Kibaki forced her way into offices belonging to The Nation in order to complain about negative coverage she had received, and hit a cameraman (MSI, 2007). Economics, training and supporting institutions and ethics issues in Kenya