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"id": 216355,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/216355/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Kagwe",
"speaker_title": "The Minister for Information and Communications",
"speaker": {
"id": 229,
"legal_name": "Mutahi Kagwe",
"slug": "mutahi-kagwe"
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"content": " Mr. Speaker, Sir, July 3, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 2173 during the 9/11 incident, I did not see any blood on any American television or newspapers, for that matter. Indeed, throughout the Iraqi War, we have not seen the display of dead American soldiers in any of the American Press. Whether that means that the American Press is self-regulated, or whether it means that they exercise responsibility, it is a matter for conjecture and debate, but the fact of the matter is that there has not been even one display of a dead American soldier in their broadcasting houses. While that is happening in the USA, when our policemen fight crime in this nation, they are displayed on television by our broadcasting houses as if they are, really, of no consequence. That is something that I have raised. Our journalists have to think about it and keep their consciences as clear as possible. Mr. Speaker, Sir, issues have been raised regarding the membership of the Media Council of Kenya (MCK). One of the contentious issues that have been raised in the Press is the appointment of the Chairman by the Minister for Information and Communications. The Ministry of Information and Communications has no particular interest in appointing a chairman for the MCK. There is also the issue of who constitutes the MCK. In my various discussions with the media owners--- Indeed, I have sat with them and other interested stakeholders to discuss the Media Bill. That matter has come up over and over again. It is good for us to recognise as Parliament that the historical relationship between the media and the Government of the day has not always been very good. Perhaps, that history has created serious suspicions on the part of the media on the intentions of this Government and Parliament in addressing this Bill. The MCK, as proposed in terms of membership, will include the Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ), the Media Owners Association (MOA), the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), the Editor's Guild of Kenya (EGK), the University of Nairobi School of Journalism and Mass Communication, the Kenya Correspondents' Association (KCA), the Public Relations Society of Kenya (PRSK) and the Joint Forum for Religious Organizations as described in Sub-section (3) of the Bill. Mr. Speaker, Sir, in the continuing debate on MCK, the media has publicly said that, indeed, there is a difference between the media and the LSK. I concur with that. The reason why there is a difference is because what a lawyer says in a court of law does not have the same impact as what a journalist writes in a newspaper publishing over 50,000 or 100,000 copies per day or, indeed, what a television broadcaster broadcasts to the public at large. Consequently, in discussing the formation of the MCK, I am inclined to agree with the journalists and hope that they will agree with me that if, indeed, the impact of a journalist's story or a news broadcast is much wider than that of a lawyer, then it follows that the composition of the MCK should, likewise, be wider than that of the LSK. Consequently, debate on this matter, I am sure, will follow to agree on the constitution of MCK. There are those within the journalistic circles who believe that MCK should be constituted only by journalists. In addition to that, there are those, particularly in the religious organizations, who feel very strongly that the receptors of the broadcast and the print media - the public at large - ought to have a say within the MCK. Mr. Speaker, Sir, in addition to the MCK, there is also, within the existing Bill and the subsequent amendments that we will propose, the framework for individuals as well as Governments to take their grievances to the MCK for them to be heard. However, those ones will be heard by an independent commission that will be formed by the MCK. That commission, however, will be independent of the MCK because it is not possible to make judgements against yourself. Mr. Speaker, Sir, there are many upcoming institutions of higher learning which are venturing into mass communication training. We have examples of Daystar University, Kenya College of Communications Technology (KCCT) and national polytechnics. Therefore, the question that arises is: Who will constitute a journalist? What qualifications is this country willing to allow an individual who makes serious contributions both in terms of education, entertainment and informing? What level of education should such a person have? Therefore, the Bill attempts to 2174 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES July 3, 2007 address the question of who should become a journalist. Mr. Speaker, Sir, because of the debates that have been held, and as a result of the various engagements I have had with the stakeholders in the industry, the Government will be proposing various amendments that will address some of the issues that we feel strongly about, and other issues that we feel would create greater independence of the Press while, at the same time, maintaining the question of responsibility and quality of journalism that will be in this country. Mr. Speaker, Sir, there has also been the question of timing. When should this Bill be brought to Parliament? There has been the question that, now that we are heading for an election, this Bill will be read wrongly; that the Government wants to use this Bill. But I am of the view that hon. Members of this august House are above such considerations. This law is not being made for this Government and this Parliament. This law is being made so that, in future, Kenyans can live better. Consequently, my view is that, like Martin Luther King said: \"It is always the right time to do right.\" Mr. Speaker, Sir, with those few remarks, I beg to move."
}