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"speaker_name": "Ms. Ndung'u",
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"legal_name": "Susanna Njoki Ndung'u",
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"content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, it appears to me, also, that the media professionals have not yet been able to set standards, with relation to issues of patriotism. For example, as it was said earlier, American media houses will never show bodies of dead Americans. It did not happen neither during the 11th September bombings nor is it happening in Iraq. It cannot even happen if they have incidents where they have to protect their own law enforcement officers. It really bothers me to see our own police officers who are gunned down, being laid out on televisions, when even their own relatives do not know. This is not the way to treat our law enforcement officers. We have to instil, in all professions, including the media, the love for the country and respect that we must give to institutions and persons like that. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am also concerned, for example, about the exposure of victims of sexual crimes. Although the Sexual Offences Act in itself is very clear about media houses being careful not to identify victims of sexual violence, there are some media houses which July 3, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 2185 are still doing it. That means that they are breaking the law. Who, then, will ensure that they do not break the law? Incidentally, speaking about the Sexual Offences Act, I was not amazed on Saturday to read, in a very reputable newspaper, that the Sexual Offences Bill was, in fact, conceived and drafted by a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), and then handed over to me. Now, not only is this misleading and untruthful, but it also affects my credibility. Where, then, do I go? This journalist, one Billy Muiruri, never called me to ascertain, actually, who had drafted this Bill and where the idea was conceived. This is a very small example. I do not want to blow my trumpet, but I want to ask: Surely, are there no standards for people who write and investigate news? Are there any standards for them to live by? Why are they there? Therefore, is this Bill the solution? I read it and I know--- Actually, I was a Member of the relevant Committee that was looking at this Bill. We had two meetings. One was held in Mombasa two weeks ago, where we were able to engage other media professionals and suggested amendments. Then, the Committee held another meeting with the Minister in Naivasha. It is true that, that Committee has a report in which it has proposed amendments. I would want to appeal that the Chairman of the Committee should lay the Report on the Table of the House, so that as hon. Members are debating this Bill, they can be informed of the amendments. This is because I think the amendments will resolve some of the issues that I hear hon. Members raising. However, I agree with hon. Muite and hon. Kipchumba that, perhaps, full consultations did not take place. The media owners have not been consulted at any stage and, yet, they are the people who own the media houses and, in the end, manage the editorial contents. They were not in the meetings held in Mombasa and Naivasha. I think that---"
}