Inside plan by government to shut down media and internet ahead of Azimio protests
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Governmnent plans to shut down media and internet ahead of Azimio protests according to Kenya Editor’s Guild President Churchill Otieno
Governmnent plans to shut down media and internet ahead of Azimio protests according to Kenya Editor’s Guild President Churchill Otieno.
Media Stakeholders on Sunday, April 2, revealed an alleged plan by the government to shut down broadcast media and the internet across the country ahead of the Azimio-led protests on Monday, April 3.
Speaking to the press, Kenya Editor’s Guild President Churchill Otieno Issued a 7-day ultimatum to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) to issue a statement on the attack on journalists by the police on Thursday, March 30.
The warning comes after reports surfaced of plans to shut down the broadcast media and internet ahead of the demonstrations.
“This would be most ill-advised and a grievous assault on Kenya’s democracy because it denies the Kenyan public their right to information. Taking this route will sink us all as a country.
“We have documented more than 20 cases of attacks and violations against journalists by law enforcement officers including harassment, arbitrary arrests, and physical attacks,” Churchill stated.
He urged the government to uphold the rule of law and respect the fundamental right of citizens to express their grievances.
Otieno stressed the importance of a free and independent media in any democratic society, stating that the role of the media is to provide accurate and impartial information to the public.
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He noted that the media has a duty to report on the events unfolding during the protests and that silencing the media would be a clear violation of the public’s right to know.
Furthermore, Otieno highlighted the importance of the internet in modern society, stating that it has become an essential tool for communication, education, and access to information.
Shutting down the internet would have far-reaching consequences on businesses, education, and even emergency services, he said.
The Kenya Editors’ Guild president emphasized that the country needs to move forward and find lasting solutions to the problems that citizens are protesting against. He urged the government to listen to the people and work towards addressing their grievances
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