(NDIMA/IFEX) – On 16 July 1998, the “Star” editor-in-chief Magayu K. Magayu said that the bi-weekly newspaper has not been banned, contrary to recent reports in the media. Mr. Magayu said the paper did not require registration and had complied with the necessary qualifications befitting an ordinary newspaper. **Updates IFEX alerts of 15 and 14 […]
(NDIMA/IFEX) – On 16 July 1998, the “Star” editor-in-chief Magayu K. Magayu
said
that the bi-weekly newspaper has not been banned, contrary to recent reports
in the media.
Mr. Magayu said the paper did not require registration and had complied with
the necessary qualifications befitting an ordinary newspaper.
**Updates IFEX alerts of 15 and 14 July 1998**
“We have executed a publishers and printers bond and have submitted two
copies of every edition to the Attorney-General as required. The only thing
we have not done is to make our annual returns and this is simply because we
are only seven months old”, Mr. Magayu said.
The perception that the paper had been banned was erroneous “and has caused
us serious economic difficulties because even vendors and distributors are
refusing to deal with us because of the purported ban.”
Mr. Magayu assured the paper’s readers and advertisers that the publication
was still in business and was consulting with its lawyers for legal redress
over the misunderstanding.
He said that the paper had not received any communication from the
Registrar-General, Mr. Omondi Mbago, save for the press release circulated
to all media.
In a statement last week, Mr. Mbago said: “We have rejected registration of
the “Finance” magazine, “Post on Sunday” and the “Star” under the provisions
of the Books and Newspaper Act.” He said the affected publications had been
notified of the move through letters.
Mr. Magayu said the management will regard impounding of the paper by police
or other agents as act of harassment or robbery. “We would like to assure
our readers that we shall continue to operate as an independent,
professionally-run and non-partisan newspaper.”
On 16 July 1998, a source within the “Star” offices had told NDIMA that the
paper would be in circulation on 17 July 1998. Despite the “clarification”,
the newspaper was absent from Nairobi streets today.
Last April, the newspaper reported that president Daniel Arap Moi had
ordered Kenya’s Attorney General Amos Wako to instruct the Police
Commissioner to crackdown on “irresponsible” publications, including the
“Star.” The newspaper report further said that the President wanted the
Police Commissioner to deal firmly with such publications through arrest of
editors or the closure of the papers.
