MCK CEO David Omwoyo has urged legislators to support laws aimed at promoting media freedom in the country.
Mr Omwoyo who addressed the Post-Election Seminar for The National Assembly of Kenya in Mombasa today said the country needs progressive laws to advance media work in the face of the fast-changing media landscape.
“Kenya has several laws that need to be reviewed to guarantee robust media operations. Some of these law impinge media freedom”, he said.
He said the success of Parliament depended on how each of the members performed their roles.
While acknowledging that media consumption trends have changed, the MCK CEO urged Parliament to design a clear communications strategy to cater for diverse audiences.
Mr Omwoyo urged Parliament to cement cordial working relations with the media to enable information exchange with the public.
“I urge you to build strong relationships with the media through regular engagements, providing them with accurate and timely information about parliamentary activities”, he said.
“It is critical for Parliament to always remember that media plays a crucial role in providing information and engaging citizens. Hence, it is important to maintain a positive and professional relationship with media outlets to ensure that accurate and up-to-date information about parliamentary activities is being disseminated to the public”.
He at the same time urged the legislators to utilise digital technology to engage the electorates, saying it easily provides a space for two-way dialogue and the sharing of information and opinions.
Mr Omwoyo said the Council will continue addressing professional and ethical gaps in the media industry through appropriate programmatic interventions.
He said the Council is employing a multistakeholder approach towards addressing the rise of quacks.
“We recalled all press cards last week to enable replacement with new ones with enhanced security features. We are doing this to rid the industry of fraudsters and extortionists who mistreat news sources, hence denting industry credibility”, said Mr Omwoyo.
National Assembly ICT Committee Chairman Hon John Kiarie pledged his committee’s support to media development in the country.
“I encourage the media industry to engage and utilise Parliament in efforts towards enacting robust laws to guide media work in Kenya.”, said Hon Kiarie.
Members of Parliament urged the Media Council of Kenya to strengthen its capacity building initiatives for journalists, including on adherence to the Code of Conduct for the Practice of Journalism in Kenya.