Press freedom: Journalists working in increasingly intolerant conditions

Citizen TV cameraman Reuben Ogachi recuperating at Aga Khan Hospital in Mombasa after an attack by GSU officers in Tana River. As the World Press Freedom Day is marked, it has emerged that journalists are still working in a difficult environment. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

By OTIATO GUGUYU
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Even as the world marks World Press Freedom Day, it has emerged that journalists are operating in an environment that is becoming increasingly intolerant.

Governments across Africa have heightened efforts of reigning in the media and limiting free speech.

In East Africa alone, around 25 journalists have been interrogated by the police and security agencies.

On April 23, 2015, the Director of Criminal Investigations, Ndegwa Muhoro’s office wrote to the Nation Media Group (NMG) to compel two of its editors to appear for questioning, in a letter signed by Mr Joseph Ngisa.

The two were summoned over the publication of two articles in the Daily Nation on April 21 and April 22, indicating involving an intelligence officer.

K24 reporters were also summoned by the DCI for questioning over the coverage of the recent Garissa massacres.

In Eldoret, John Kituyi, editor and publisher of the Mirror was murdered by unknown assailants.

Nehemiah Okwemba of NTV and Reuben Ogacha of Citizen TV were attacked by the General Service Unit (GSU) officers while reporting on a story in Galana Kulalu Ranch in Tana River County.

Since January 2015, at least 20 newspapers have had editions of their publications confiscated on 45 different occasions by the country’s National Intelligence and Security Service.

In January 24, the leading regional newspaper, the East African was been banned from circulation in Tanzania, 20 years after it was launched to cover the region for 'circulating in the country without being properly registered, contrary to section 6 of the Newspaper Act number 3 of 1976’.

BURUNDI RADIO STATIONS SHUT

In Burundi, the Government has this past week prevented private radio stations Isanganiro, Bonesha and Radio Publique Africaine (RPA) from broadcasting live coverage of the protests against decision by the incumbent Pierre Nkurunziza to run for a third term.

The RPA is now shut down, together with mobile access to Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp with the government accusing the media of inciting an insurrectional movement.

“A number of media outlets have come under direct attack from their governments, facing intimidation and harassment, with some media houses being shut down.

“We have seen systematic attacks against journalists during election periods. This must stop,” said Muthoni Wanyeki, Amnesty International’s Director for East Africa.

According to a study conducted in 2013 on the safety and security of journalists in Kenya, state (police) ranked third among those who posed the greatest threat journalists.

Media Council Deputy Chief Executive Officer Mr Victor Bwire told the Nation that since the March 2013 elections, they had received 38 complaints of harassment from across the country.

“Sadly, the scenario we are witnessing in Kenya now is that the media is being turned from a watchdog to a lapdog and by extension guard dog by making the work of journalists illegal or impossible,” he said.

Mr Bwire stated that securing a conviction had proven elusive as little action is ever taken whenever journalists report the cases while some are intimidated into silence.