As the world marks Press Freedom Day, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has called upon media owners, organizations, and entities to review payment terms for journalists.
According to the CS, it would be pretentious to expect independent media and unbiased information from reporters who go for months without pay and cannot sustain themselves because of little pay.
“There is a need to ensure they are given some remuneration commensurate with their day’s work and today’s cost of living. There must be an EQUAL pay for an EQUAL day,” said Kindiki.
Through a press release, the CS said the financial independence of an individual journalist is equal to the overall independence of the media and thus media freedom.
Kindiki also noted that the media faced disruption from the effects of Covid-19 causing companies to downsize their human capital/slashing the earnings of some journalists.
“Most of these media companies are yet to reinstate the contractual obligations that existed before the Covid pandemic,” he furthered.
We will continue protecting journalists to do their job online and offline and punish those who threaten the safetyof journalists in their line of work
Kithure Kindiki
Safety
In the wake of celebrating press freedom, he said the safety of reporters is still under a big threat.
“We will continue protecting journalists to do their job online and offline and punish those who threaten the safetyof journalists in their line of work,” affirmed Kindiki.
The CS called upon the media regulators to tighten self-regulation and accreditation procedures by relevant agencies including the Media Council of Kenya.
They must safeguard this space by ensuring the upsurge in numbers of people masquerading as journalists, commonly called quacks is stemmed
Kithure Kindiki
“They must safeguard this space by ensuring the upsurge in numbers of people masquerading as journalists, commonly called quacks is stemmed,” he furthered.
The CS further added that security agencies will work with the media players to help protect the freedom and integrity of the media in the country.