KENYA: Thousands march in support of media freedom in Nairobi following recent government raids on TV and newspaper offices

Record ID: 362888

  • Title: KENYA: Thousands march in support of media freedom in Nairobi following recent government raids on TV and newspaper offices
  • Date: 7th March 2006
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) OPPOSITION POLITICIAN SAM ONGERI SAYING: "Human values are being degraded to such a level that we can no longer tolerate and accept it."
  • Embargoed: 22nd March 2006 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kenya
  • Country: Kenya
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAECLHJT1VS256J4F01OZ1XCG1P
  • Story Text: About three thousand opposition supporters and human rights activists marched in the Kenyan capital Nairobi in defence of media freedom on Tuesday (March 7).
    Last week, hooded policemen seized television equipment, halting broadcasts by the Kenya Television Network (KTN) and burned thousands of newspapers belonging to the Standard media group, which also owns the TV station.
    The march through Kenya's capital showed the anger at the police raids and demanded the sacking of Internal Security Minister John Michuki.
    "Human values are being degraded to such a level that we can no longer tolerate and accept it," opposition politician Sam Ongeri said.
    Demonstrators carried placards, including one reading: "Media freedom bitten by rattled snake".
    The raid came two days after police arrested three journalists from the newspaper over a weekend story on political intrigue in President Mwai Kibaki's fractious coalition.
    Senior officials from the media group denounced the raids as a throwback to the autocratic days of former leader Daniel Arap Moi. Some saw it as reprisal for relentless attacks in local media on the government over corruption in recent weeks.
    The raid forced the TV station off the air for a time after equipment was seized, and piles of the Standard newspaper were burned.
    Kenya maintains tough press laws drafted during the Moi era, when many journalists were arrested and tortured. Despite new press freedoms introduced under Kibaki, who succeeded Moi on a reformist platform in 2002, many Kenyans fear a retreat to the repressive tactics Moi used to silence critics.
    The disputed article claimed that Kibaki secretly met his rival Kalonzo Musyoka to discuss how the former minister could rejoin the cabinet. Both denied the report.
    Other demonstrations were reported in Mombasa, Nakuru and Kisumu.

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