Kenya

(NDIMA/IFEX) – In a ministerial statement issued in Nairobi on 16 June 1998, Kenyan Finance Minister Simeon Nyachae accused “The Nation”, the country’s leading English-language daily, of a “witch-hunt”. Nyachae refuted some of the claims made in an editorial in the newspaper, saying that he has only two official cars and not a fleet of […]

(NDIMA/IFEX) – According to NDIMA, the publishers and editors of a Nairobi weekly journal, “The Dispatch”, have been restrained from publishing defamatory words against two government Ministers, Musalia Mudavadi and Chrisanthus Okemo. The temporary injunction was issued by Judge Mbogholi Msagha following an application by the Ministers. Both suits were filed separately by Wetang’ula and […]

(NDIMA/IFEX) – According to NDIMA, the High Court sitting in Nairobi has issued an order restraining the owners of “Finance” magazine from publishing, or permitting or causing to be published, an article which was published in the magazine’s 5 April 1998 issue. The Court described the article as “injurious falsehoods.” The civil suit (#828 of […]

(NDIMA/IFEX) – According to NDIMA, an attempt by police detectives to have the chief editor and a director of “The Star” newspaper give statements at the Kasarani Police Station failed when the publication’s lawyers explained that the police affidavit was not in order. The lawyers also argued that an affidavit had already been filed in […]

(IPI/IFEX) – According to sources, in February 1998, the Nation Printers and Publishers Limited, through its subsidiary, African Broadcasting Limited, purchased a majority stake in the East African Television Network (EATN), a company holding licenses to broadcast on television and radio, from its director, Sam Shollei. Shollei is also owner of 100 per cent of […]

(NDIMA/IFEX) – On 31 March 1998 the High Court awarded Abraham Kipsang Kiptanui, former comptroller of State House, over 250,000 $US in damages for libel caused by an article published in “Target” magazine. Kiptanui had sued “Target” over an article published in the 16-31 January 1996 issue entitled “3 billion shilling deal off.” According to […]

(NDIMA/IFEX) – On 31 March 1998 employees of “The Star” newspaper locked themselves in their offices in an effort to fend off a police raid. Six plainclothes police officers are said to have gone to the offices at around 17:30 and to have announced that they wanted to conduct a search. Since they did not […]

(NDIMA/IFEX) – On 31 March 1998, Assistant Minister Fred Gumo was restrained from hitting Njehu Gatabaki, his parliamentary colleague and owner of “Finance” magazine, over an article which is currently appearing in the magazine. Gumo was literally pushed away by Sergeant-at-Arms J. K Kenie after threatening to beat up Gatabaki, the Member of Parliament for […]

(NDIMA/IFEX) – On 30 March 1998, Kenya African National Union (KANU) Chairman, President Daniel Moi, told Attorney-General Amos Wako to instruct the Police Commissioner to crack down on “irresponsible publications.” Moi gave the directive after summoning Wako to the KANU Parliamentary Group meeting held at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre. KANU Parliamentary Group sources said […]

(NDIMA/IFEX) – On 30 March 1998, Kenya African National Union (KANU) Chairman, President Daniel Moi, told Attorney-General Amos Wako to instruct the Police Commissioner to crack down on “irresponsible publications.” Moi gave the directive after summoning Wako to the KANU Parliamentary Group meeting held at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre. KANU Parliamentary Group sources said […]

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is the full text of a letter written by Article 19 to Daniel arap Moi, President of the Republic of Kenya ARTICLE 19 is very concerned by reports that the Non-Governmental Organisations Co-ordination Board is considering ‘de-registering’ three non-governmental organisations: The Kenya Human Rights Commission, Econews and Kituo cha Sheria. […]

(NDIMA/IFEX) – Following the decision by the Non-Governmental Organisation Bureau (NGOB) to deny NDIMA registration as a non-governmental organisation (NGO), NDIMA lawyers have lodged an appeal with the Minister of State in the Office of the President. **Updates IFEX alert of 5 March 1998** Background Information Almost two years after applying to the NGOB for […]

(NDIMA/IFEX) – On 13 March 1998 newly appointed Information and Broadcasting Minister Joseph Nyagah accused an unnamed section of the Kenyan press of “taking advantage of the recently repealed law on sedition.” Describing it as “gutter press,” he characterized it as a “vicious campaign” aimed at undermining both national peace and presidential authority. He noted […]

(NDIMA/IFEX) – Almost two years after applying to the Non-Governmental Organisations Bureau (N-GOB) for registration as a non-governmental organisation (NGO), IFEX member NDIMA has been notified in a certificate signed by Bureau board chairman J.K. Etemesi that it has been refused registration. A letter dated 15 December 1997 advised NDIMA that it had sixty days […]

(NDIMA/IFEX) – On the night of 11 Wednesday 1998, Stephen Sunguti, a photographer working for the Nation Group of Newspapers and based in Eldoret town (about 300 kms from Nairobi), was brutally murdered. Uashin Gishu police chief Andrew Kimetto said that police on night patrol found Sunguti dead near a river with deep stab wounds […]

(NDIMA/IFEX) – Five South African journalists, Derek Rodney of the Johannesburg “Independent”, Patrick Wagner of “Getaway Magazine”, Anton Schecper, a cameraman for M-net and Getaway Explorer, Herman Portger, a South African aviation photographer, and Roland Geigr, were among the nine people who perished when their light aircraft crashed in the Ngong Hills just outside Nairobi. […]