Kenya’s under fire journalists refuse to be cowed
Posted on February 2, 2016 by Mark Kapchanga
But the same cannot necessarily be said of Kenya’s media houses.
Kenya has a proud history of a vibrant media environment, but many
feel this is being eroded. Credit: IMF Photograph/Stephen Jaffe.
Kenya has a proud history of a vibrant media environment, but many
feel this is being eroded. Credit: IMF Photograph/Stephen Jaffe.
On the evening of 23 January, Yassin Juma, a freelance journalist and
blogger, was at home with his family when he received an unexpected
call. 13 police officers burst into his home, arresting the
soft-spoken reporter and searching his premises. They “ransacked
everywhere as the children cried”, recalls Juma, who was held
overnight before being released.
In the lead up to his arrest, the journalist had been exploring claims
that the Kenya Defence Forces were warned ahead of last month’s attack
in El-Adde, Somalia, a bloody assault in which dozens of Kenyan
soldiers are believed to have been killed by al-Shabaab militants.
Juma heard from someone who claimed he had shared information with the
National Intelligence Service and Interior Ministry before the attack.
The journalist pursued the lead, but as soon as he did, was
immediately warned his activities were being monitored.
“The first time I contacted [the source], a friend in the police
tipped me off that my phone was being tracked,” says Juma.
The journalist continued his investigation nonetheless, posting
updates from his research on social media. But just days before his
full story was scheduled to run, he was arrested on charges of
“improper use of a licensed telecommunications gadget”. The article is
still yet to go live.
“Despite the fact that I was later released without being charged, the
story did not run,” says Juma. “As such, Kenyans have been left in the
dark on what this intelligence shared was really all about.”
Improper use
Juma’s story of arrest is far from unique in Kenya today. In fact,
according to Article 19, an NGO that focuses on freedom of
information, “intimidation and harassment of bloggers” has reached a
“new high” with several individuals arrested in January alone. And
like Juma, many of those targeted have been accused of the same vague
“Section 29” charge of “improper use of a licensed telecommunication
gadget”. This has led to arrests based on a wide range of allegations.
Judith Akolo of KBC, for example, was questioned by the Directorate of
Criminal Investigations (DCI) after she retweeted a comment about a
DCI job advert. Journalist Elijah Kinyanjui faced the same charge
after sharing a photo of a governor’s daughter on social media that
showed her in a bad light. Meanwhile, on 26 January, the Directorate
of Criminal Investigations summoned 10 bloggers – all of whom have
been critical of the government – on that same loose charge.
This flurry of arrests and interrogations has been heavily criticised
by journalists and activists who accuse the government of trying to
clamp down on freedom of speech with the goal of creating a single
state-approved story. “These journalists just seek to question issues
so as to hold power to account,” says Henry Maina, Article 19’s
Regional Director for Eastern Africa, but any “counter-narrative is
seen unprofessional, unpatriotic and criminal”.
However, the government refutes these criticisms, insisting that it is
not in any way trying to intimidate journalists. Interior Cabinet
Secretary Joseph Nkaissery told African Arguments that the state
respects independent media and freedom of expression, though added
that this “freedom must be enjoyed in a responsible manner”.
Under pressure
According to some activists, Kenyan journalism is currently in a tough
spot and is not only under direct fire by threat of arrest, but also
under indirect pressure via their own editors and media houses. Many
news organisations are reliant on government advertising for much of
their revenue, and critics say this state of affairs influences
editors’ decisions.
Last month, for instance, Nation Media Group fired its Managing Editor
for Special Projects Denis Galava after he published an editorial that
was highly critical of President Uhuru Kenyatta. The Group said the
reason behind the sacking was Galava’s failure to follow procedure and
that it had nothing to do with the content of the piece, though the
explanation also said that Galava was fired for “endangering the
group’s business”. Galava says he had published many editorials
without oversight previously and many observers believe the Group felt
pressured by the government.
In a similar case in 2014, The Standard also fired its Editorial
Director, Chaacha Mwita, after the paper published a piece criticising
government excesses; sources within the newspaper suggest State House
had influenced the media house’s decision. And at the end of 2015,
John Allan Namu, one of Kenya’s most celebrated investigative
journalists, resigned from KTN saying the show’s management were
refusing to fund his investigations into powerful individuals.
“By using the revenue method to put the media into shape, journalists’
freedom is all but eroded,” says the Eric Oduor, Secretary-General of
the Kenya Union of Journalists. “The regime has been uncomfortable
with some journalists considered unpatriotic for writing or
broadcasting what a right thinking person considers the truth. It is
ever working towards ensuring that it suppresses media freedom.”
Namu agrees that the government pressures news organisations to
silence critical journalists, whether directly or indirectly, but the
award-winning journalist suggests that media houses also need to take
responsibility for having dug their own grave. “They are deeply
corrupt, are reluctant to do the right thing, and favouritism is
common in newsrooms,” he says. “We are the architects of our own
doom.”
The recently fired Galava also laments the erosion of quality
management in Kenya’s news organisations. “Nation Media Group used to
have a strong editorial team. Its former chief executive Linus Gitahi,
Editorial Directors Wangethi Mwangi and Joe Odindo never abandoned
their editors and reporters. However, the current leadership is made
up of bosses who just throw their journalists under the bus for
political expedience,” he says.
Mohammed Ali, a senior investigative editor at KTN, adds: “Some
[editors] have even betrayed the profession by leaking the sensitive
stories we pitch to them to the government…I have been threatened with
death, I have been told to stop pursuing certain storylines and in
some instances, I have taken refuge out of the country for fear of my
life.”
Mightier than the sword
Kenya has a proud history of having a relatively free and independent
media, but over the past few years journalists have been growing
increasingly worried about state interference and the deterioration of
journalistic integrity. According to the Union of Journalists’ Oduor,
the government’s censorship has been “well-coordinated” and began in
2013 with the passing of the controversial Information and
Communications (Amendment) Bill.
Since then, the situation has declined significantly and many believe
things will only get worse as the 2017 elections approach. However,
although many in Kenya are concerned about the ability of news
organisations to hold those in power accountable, it seems clear that
certain journalists will continue to work tirelessly regardless of the
environment. The likes of Namu have set up their own independent
investigative outfits, while others refuse to be intimidated and vow
to find ways to continue their work.
“I fear not this regime that seems committed to silencing dissident
voices in the media,” says KTN’s Ali. “I will keep speaking for the
public who are downtrodden.”
Meanwhile, Juma says that his detention last month has not deterred
him but spurred him on. “This recent arrest will not stop my pen from
doing its work,” he says. “Its ink will flow even faster.”
Mark Kapchanga is a freelance journalist.
For more on this subject, see:
Kenya has become a “bandit economy”, says Chief Justice Willy Mutunga
Campaigners warn of Kenya’s ‘secretive’ plan to set up
International Financial Centre
Wangari Maathai was not a good woman. Kenya needs more of them
Just when Kenya’s military needs more civilian oversight, a
proposed bill calls for less.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or
subscribing to the RSS feed to have future articles delivered to your
feed reader.
This entry was posted in African Politics Now. Bookmark the permalink.
7 thoughts on “Kenya’s under fire journalists refuse to be cowed”
Rick Kilonzo says:
February 2, 2016 at 4:02 pm
Kenya is being taken too far back. Kenyatta, Moi, Kibaki (read
Lucy) era? There is a serious hangover; I thought we were in the
Digital Era! Kenyans must know what happened at EL-Adde, Somalia. By
trying to suffocate the truth so many people are hurt. Please let us
know the truth. Only the truth shall set us free.
truthseeker says:
February 2, 2016 at 5:43 pm
reminiscent of the dark era of kenyatta and moi, this
administartion is proving to be a notorious dictatorship. And
meanwhile they are doing their best to steal all the tax payer money
completely ignoring development…a few projects here and there are not
going ot get us where we need to be, we still have poverty, poor
sanitation, low level bacterial viral diseases, dirty water, poor
infratsructures, terrible roads killing more people than the fight in
somalia etc etc and billions stolen on a daily basis, only 1% of the
last budget can be accounted for…what is that????
Tammy says:
February 2, 2016 at 7:45 pm
When there is corporate or individual guilt, fear will paralyze
the guilty and they i.e. the guilty will castrate a gnat to silence
the truth. We must never give sanction to sin by our words, or our
deeds, our silence or our presence.
Bibi says:
February 2, 2016 at 7:55 pm
“We must take every justifiable means of bringing the light before
the people. Let the press be utilized, and let every advertising
agency be employed that will call attention to the work. This should
not be regarded as nonessential. On every street corner you may see
placards and notices calling attention to various things that are
going on, some of them of the most objectionable character; and shall
those who have the light of life be satisfied with feeble efforts to
call the attention of the masses to the truth?” Ev, page 130.
Ellen says:
February 2, 2016 at 8:26 pm
Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never give in
nothing, great or small, large or petty–never give in except to
convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield
to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy. Truth does not
stand on ease. It comes with a sacrifice. It is better to die at your
post of duty in honor than to cower and compromise your conscience and
integrity. To be cowered into silence is to betray sacred trust and to
allow the enemy to win. Fight on with pen and voice, the hallmark of
good journalism!
Ellen says:
February 2, 2016 at 8:50 pm
“No experiment can be more interesting than that we are now
trying, and which we trust will end in establishing the fact, that man
may be governed by reason and truth. Our first object should therefore
be, to leave open to him all the avenues to truth. The most effectual
hitherto found, is the freedom of the press. It is therefore, the
first shut up by those who fear the investigation of their actions.”
Thomas Jefferson.
Kimemia Maina says:
February 4, 2016 at 11:16 am
It is a refection of a society where means matter more tha
principal. The same principalities who use the courts and government
to evade accountability will not hesitate to bully the media
--
To post to this group, send email to [email protected]
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
[email protected]
Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/southsudankob
View this message at
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/southsudankob/topic-id/message-id
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"South Sudan Info - The Kob" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email
to [email protected].
To post to this group, send email to [email protected].
Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/SouthSudanKob.
To view this discussion on the web visit
https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/SouthSudanKob/CAJb14orfE5m%3DJRgbfkdibGErM0c062PgqPLvESMGK0u6PHSVdg%40mail.gmail.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
