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{
    "id": 403482,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/403482/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 269,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Eng.) Gumbo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 24,
        "legal_name": "Nicholas Gumbo",
        "slug": "nicholas-gumbo"
    },
    "content": "tribal clashes of 2007. This is not gainsaying. In fact, it got to such a point that some communities labeled others using idioms, names that were only known to them, but names that were meant to incite communities against each other. I am a firm believer in the unity of this country. I am a firm believer in the oneness of Kenya. I am a firm believer in the equality of all Kenyans and this is something that we have to avoid. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I have gone through the Bill as proposed and if you look at for example Clause 3, it talks of the right to freedom of expression but even as it talks about the right to freedom of expression, under Part “f” it says that that right has to be guided by the national values and principles of governance as enshrined in our Constitution. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, what are some of these key principles? Some of these key principles are patriotism, national unity, human dignity and non-discrimination. On 21st September, we got an attack at Westgate and that is when I realised how unpatriotic the Kenyan media can be. There were two gentlemen in a radio station who were discussing a football match happening somewhere in the United Kingdom (UK). It shocked me that despite us being faced with such a national tragedy, these two fellows could actually make a mockery of the state of our unpreparedness and concentrate more time on the football match that was happening in another country. That for me is not how to be patriotic. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, look at the aspect of national unity – the very elusive concept that Kenya has been pursuing. I have said it in this House before that if this country chose the path of pursuing national unity, today the strides we would have made as a nation would be far much more than where we are. Look at the principles of human dignity. Look at what we saw in a leading newspaper the day after Westgate incident, splashed on both the front and back pages – a sorry picture of somebody who had suffered calamities in Westgate Mall. Even though an apology was issued, surely where was commonsense even before we came to this? Where was human dignity in this? Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, on non-discrimination, I have just spoken about how we stereotype one another. Almost every community and especially we the larger communities are guilty as charged. We have stereotyped other communities. We call them names. We have derogatory terms that we use to refer to other communities. I note that under Clause 6 among the functions of the proposed Media Council under Annex 6(b) is to prescribe standards for journalists. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, we live in a country today especially the FM stations--- Last week I had a chance to engage some media practitioners in a morning television show and one thing that came out very clearly is that there are no standards for journalists. Almost anybody can go to FM station and call themselves journalists. As we look at self-regulation, let us also prescribe standards that will ensure that self regulation becomes a reality. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, under Clause 6(d), we are talking of promotion and enhancement of ethical professional standards among journalists and media enterprises. Ethics and standards are still missing and if we are to self regulate meaningfully, then I think this is something that we have to look at. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, we are also talking about compilation and maintenance of a register of accredited journalists, foreign journalists, media enterprises The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}