Kenya Media Sector Working Group claims there is a sinister plot by the government to shut down media broadcast and internet services ahead of “Mega Monday”.
Kenya Editors Guild (KEG) president Churchill Otieno on Sunday said the government plans on gagging the media and internet services in a bid to plunge the country into “information darkness”.
“We have received reports of plans to shut down the broadcast media and the internet and throw the country into information darkness ahead of tomorrow’s demonstrations.
“This will be most ill-advised assault on Kenyan democracy because it denies the public their right to information,” said Mr Otieno.
According to Otieno, any attempt to prevent themedia from carrying out their constitutionally mandated duty of informing the people would be illegal.
Additionally, he claimed that there have been and will continue to be deliberate attempts to harm journalists covering the protests.
“However we note with concern the wave of attacks both online and offline meted against media workers in their line of duty,” he said stating that over 20 attack cases have already been reported since the demonstrations began.
“While the safety of journalists should be guaranteed the Kenya media sector working group notes with alarm the increasing number of journalists targeted by law enforcement officers.”
Thus, he denounced the attacks and urged investigative organizations to look into the matter and arrest the perpetrators.
“We demand that the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Inspector General of the Police and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority to ensure accountability for all threats and violence against journalists through thorough, effective and independent investigations,” he added.
“We call upon them to call to book the perpetrators while ensuring access to effective remedies and compensations to the victims.”
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