Media regulator mulls regulations requiring journalists with political ambitions to resign » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 19 – The Media Council of Kenya Chief Executive Officer Omwoyo Thursday said the body is reviewing guidelines that will ensure media owners and journalists resign six months to the elections before vying for elections.

Omwoyo made the remarks while unveiling a 20-member technical team that is tasked to review Election Reporting Guidelines ahead of the 2022 General Elections.

He 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.

Omwoyo said 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.

“If they are seeking to become candidates, they 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.

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.

Bwire, who spoke during the inauguration of the technical team 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 within 20 days and will be followed by validation by media houses.