MCK reviews regulations requiring journalists interested in politics to resign

The Media Council of Kenya is reviewing guidelines that will ensure media owners and journalists interested in elective seats to resign six months to the elections.

MCK Chief Executive Officer Omwoyo said the council is seeking and hoping to get a clarification on whether journalists should be allowed to hold office while campaigning for political offices.

“If they are seeking to become candidates, there must come a time they stop being journalists and become election contenders, we hope we will interrogate and give a decision, the concern is whether journalists are going to use the office and campaign and ensure level playing field for all contestants,” he said.

According to him, the council had received complaints from elected leaders about journalists and media practitioners, especially talk show hosts, keen on electoral politics who are using their positions for personal attacks and their political milage

He added that the guidelines will ensure a level playing field and entrust all aspirants with confidence that media houses are not going to be conflicted and undermine other aspirants.

He spoke while inagurated a 20-member technical team that is tasked to review Election Reporting Guidelines ahead of the 2022 General Elections.

Victor Bwire, the council’s director of media training and development said the technical team which will be chaired by veteran journalist Joseph Odindo will lead the industry to review and update the election guidelines to reflect the ever-changing media and political landscape.

“The Media council in partnership with international and local partners is working on a program with fourteen interventions that will prepare media on how to professionally and responsibly report on 2022 General elections,” he said.

He expressed confidence that it will efficiently represent and guide media during elections.

“It relates to internal things that deal with media, media owners, journalists but it’s focused on supply and demand side, those seeking services from media and media itself,” he said.

The team is composed of independent journalists, media associations, academics  and will occasionally incorporate experts who will aid in refining the document

The exercise will be conducted for three weeks and will be followed by validation by media houses.