Approximately 30 complaints have been received by the Media Council’s Complaint Commission since its appointment in 2016, according to the Commission’s vice chair Mrs Esther Aduma mostly against journalists and media houses. The Commission goes under the radar most of the time with the most focus turned to the Media Council of Kenya. It was established under the Media Council Act 2013 It is tasked with handling complaints against media organizations or journalists, the government and the media, intra-media and journalists can also file complaints against anyone when aggrieved.
Speaking at the West FM studio during an interview, Aduma said most complaints received have been against journalists and media houses and that it seems journalists haven’t yet appropriated their right well to report any complaints. “It is only this year, about a month ago, that we received the first complaint by a journalist against an organization or a company on account of harassment, on account of intimidation,” she said, adding that the case is still on. Some media house have been found culpable while other cases have collapsed due to dropped interests.
The Complaints Commission chairman Timothy Kariuki acknowledged that constitutionally journalists have fundamental rights, the freedom of the media, and they should also report when they feel aggrieved and threatened in their line of duty, apart from complaints from others against media houses. He said complaints can be filed through e-mail, letters, phone calls or one can personally go to the offices at Britam house at Upper Hill in Nairobi.
He outlined the penalties set out to anyone who is found culpable, guided according to the Media Council Act 2013. If one is found to have wronged a complainant, he or she is directed to offer an apology, if one proposes a complaint that carries no weight, then he or she will be reprimanded. The Commission has the authority to fine journalists and media houses found culpable, a journalist will be directed to pay Kshs 100,000 for any grievance caused and a media house not more than Kshs 500,000. If a journalist’s equipment is destroyed in the line of duty, then the perpetrator will be required to pay.