Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki on Wednesday, called for a review of the payment terms of Kenyan journalists.

While speaking in commemoration of World Freedom Day, Prof Kindiki said thousands of journalists continue to highlight issues affecting society daily but lack basic human provisions because of poor pay and uncaring media sector actors who find this normal.

“It is pretentious of us to expect an independent media and unbiased information from reporters when journalists go for months without pay and others cannot sustain themselves because the pay is too little,” he said.

The CS called on media owners to ensure they give journalists remuneration commensurate with their day’s work and today’s cost of living.

At the same time noted a threat to the individual safety of Kenyan journalists and pledged that his ministry would not hesitate to punish those who threaten reporters in their line of work.

“We firmly believe in an open society and the media represents this openness in our democracy. We will continue protecting journalists to do their job – online and offline and punish reporters who threaten reporters’ safety in their line of work,” he said.

Celebrated on May 3 every year, World Press Freedom Day was declared by the United Nations General Assembly declared to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression.

The right to freedom of expression is enshrined under Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
This year’s theme is “Shaping a Future of Rights: Freedom of Expression as a Driver for all other human rights”.

By Jane Kibathi.