The Media Council of Kenya has decried the gagging of the media, fronted by the Judiciary. Speaking to the press, the MCK CEO Mr. David Omwoyo-who had been accompanied by other Council officials-said journalists are involved in a lot of investigative stories and exposes. Therefore, they always issue subjects of the stories an opportunity to give their views on the issue at hand, in what is termed as a right of reply, but this has been misused by the subjects under discussion.
He said people rush to courts to obtain gagging order. “However, we have noted with a lot of concern that despite this effort by journalists to apply ethical standards, subjects have taken advantage of this goodwill to rush to the court of law and obtain gagging borders to prevent the stories,” he said. One of the known cases was the expose on the bad deeds of the Child Welfare Society of Kenya aired by NTV. The CWS had obtained gagging order from the Children’s court to halt it.
The MCK CEO pointed fingers at the Judiciary, saying it’s allowing itself to be used as the altar upon which press freedom will be sacrificed. “We call on the Judiciary to exercise Judicial restraint on the issue of gagging orders and to consider the important role that the media complaints commission plays in resolving disputes in the sector.” He said the Courts are the ultimate protectors of freedom and if they are used to gag the media then they have become a threat to press freedom.