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"id": 216364,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/216364/?format=api",
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"speaker_name": "Mr. Maore",
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"speaker": {
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"legal_name": "Richard Maoka Maore",
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"content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Government always ends up being intimidated out of the passage of this important piece of legislation. As the Minister has rightly concluded, it is always the right time to do the right thing. I want to support that, for once, we need this Media Bill as a country and as a society. After reflecting on various issues and incidents that have happened elsewhere in this country - and I am not trying to be repetitive of what the Minister has enumerated - you will realise that, in many other societies where the media has been a key mover, there is enormous amount of self-regulation and responsibility. In addition to the example that was given - the bombing of the Twin Towers in America on 11th September, 2001 - the entire media society in America--- America is said to be one of the most liberal societies. The media there never displayed pieces of human flesh, blood or bombed victims because there was no desire to do so, but because they felt, as professionals, they had a duty to protect the nation from the trauma of displaying dead bodies and pieces of human bodies on television. This is unlike here, whereby, when people are killed and some of them beheaded, you will see pieces of human body on television even when watching it with children. Mr. Speaker, Sir, one of the most outrageous photographs I have ever seen on a piece of newspaper is that of the two children of the late Matheri. The late Matheri was said to have been a fugitive, criminal and murderer. However, his children are independent Kenyans who have nothing to do with the lifestyle of their father! They have a future. It was, therefore, not necessary to show them. It was very cruel and evil for media houses to display pictures of the children on newspapers. July 3, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 2175 The children had nothing to do with what happened. Mr. Speaker, Sir, if you go to the Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE) or even the New York Stock Exchange and violate the rules on which they operate, there is the Security Commission which investigates and fines those found guilty. This stops quacks from being members of the stock exchange. However, you will find even hon. Members being intimidated by people who have never been to a class of journalism. They say that they should be respected as people who are providing guidelines and guidance to the society. We need to differentiate between irresponsible journalism and proper recording or archiving of events in our society. Mr. Speaker, Sir, you will find that in the New York Times, the Cable News Network (CNN) or Time Magazine, the ownership reflects the content. The Jewish community who control the media outlets all over the world are very highly conservative and religious. That is why you will find a lot of ethical pieces of articles in their own media. It does not require an angel to know that in an election year; like we are in now, people will be tempted to destroy others' careers, so that they can get a chance to be elected. The easiest target to use is the media. Mr. Speaker, Sir, some of us have been, unfairly, victims of the media. I want to read just a sentence on what was said about me on 4th, June, 2007, by the gutter-leaning The Standard . After I had switched political parties for future elections, they said something to do with road accidents. It says:- \"The problem is the Ntonyiri residents believe he will eventually expire through another road accident---\" The whole thing goes like that. The last bit then says:- \"If the rationale of joining politics is to form governments, it is the right time to count his losses and rightfully disappear into thickest miraa bush locate---\""
}