Reports indicate that the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) on several occasions has tampered, without authorization, with British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) news items about Kenya that Minister of Information Johnstone Makau claims discredit the government. The BBC contracted with the KBC to re-broadcast its world television news on KBC stations. The contract between the BBC and […]
Reports indicate that the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) on
several occasions has tampered, without authorization, with British
Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) news items about Kenya that Minister
of Information Johnstone Makau claims discredit the government. The
BBC contracted with the KBC to re-broadcast its world television
news on KBC stations. The contract between the BBC and the KBC
stipulates that the government may not interfere in its news
broadcasts.
The most recent censored BBC report was its story on the beating of
Richard Leakey, a founder of the yet-to-be registered SAFINA
political party, and six journalists, including a BBC stringer (See
separate IFEX CH alert dated 25 August 1995). On 18 August 1995,
the BBC issued a statement objecting to the KBC’s interference with
the broadcast, and threatened to end the television contract should
interference continue. While the Kenyan administration has yet to
respond officially to this statement, the Minister of Information
stated earlier this month that the contract would not be renewed
unless the tone of BBC reports about Kenya changed.
The BBC has been esteemed globally as an exemplary news
organization with respect to its objectivity in news reporting and
for its far-reaching news coverage. The BBC also remains valuable
to Kenya’s population as a source of international information and
education. A discontinuation of its services would truncate the
people’s access to this information, to which they have a right.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to Kenyan authorities:
free expression, which is guaranteed by Article 19 of the United
Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 19 of the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and Article
9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, all to which
Kenya is a signatory
contract with the BBC and cease censoring its reports so as not to
deprive the Kenyan people of their right to information
interference continue, it will terminate its television operations
in Kenya
Appeals To
His Excellency President Daniel arap Moi
Office of the President
P.O. Box 30510
Nairobi, Kenya
Fax: +254 2 33 73 40 via Ministry of Foreign Affairs
COPIES TO:Attorney General Amos Wako
Minister of Information Johnstone Makau
Fax: +254 2 33 73 40 via Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Please copy appeals to the originator if possible.
