Hundreds of journalists on Wednesday held silent protests in Nairobi streets to denounce the proposed press law that would compel journalists to reveal their sources in news reports that give rise to legal disputes.
The journalists, who donned bands and gags as a sign that they would not name their sources, were drawn from all media houses in the country.
They presented a petition to Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet Francis Muthaura, who will pass it on to President Mwai Kibaki.
The editors, photographers, reporters and freelancers then marched around the parliament after presenting their petition.
Several radio stations refused to run their morning news broadcasts and instead played music or held talk shows instead.
"The procession was a success and we have our strategy which will be unveiled later this week after hearing from President Mwai Kibaki whom we have petitioned," Samuel Mbau, the march's organizer, told reporters after the march.
There was no chanting nor singing and journalists donned black ribbons and cloths around their mouths to support the cause of a free press.
"Protect our sources, Say No to Media Bill, Kibaki Kataa ( refuse), Our Freedom is in Jeopardy, Stop the Media Bill" read some of the placards.
The Media Bill passed by parliament a fortnight ago is awaiting presidential assent after the country's lawmakers passed it with a low quorum.
But a chorus of condemnation from the media, church, civil society groups and foreign diplomats has urged president Kibaki to send it back to parliament for amendment.
"When a story includes unnamed parties who are not disclosed and the same becomes the subject of a legal tussle as to who is meant, then the editor shall be obliged to disclose the identity of the party or parties referred to," the Media Bill states.
In their petition, the journalists argued that they have a duty to protect the identities of their sources, noting that it was unethical to disclose the subjects of stories.
"Confidentiality is the foundation on which the rest of journalism's professional ethics stand. It is the essence of freedom of the press," the journalists said.
"Like privileged advocate-client communication, confidentiality is crucial to the practice of journalism. We cannot expose our sources or incriminate the subjects of our stories," they said.
"Any law that attempts to compel journalists to either incriminate themselves or the subjects of their reports is both unconscionable and unconstitutional."
On Tuesday, the Attorney-General Amos Wako said in a statement that the controversial clause introduced in parliament was ambiguous.
Wako said he would ask the president to refer the bill back to parliament for reconsideration of the clause requiring journalists to reveal their sources.
"There is need for a reformulation of the clauses to excuse ' sources' which were never intended to be covered or for the deletion of the clause altogether,"Wako said in a statement.
Information Minister Mutahi Kagwe told a news conference Tuesday that he has asked Kibaki to return the bill back for amendments.
"We have requested the president to return the bill to parliament so that the controversial clause may be amended," Kagwe said.
Source: Xinhua
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