Press Freedom and Media Safety in Focus as the KMSWG Marks the IDEI 2023

The Kenya Media Sector Working Group (KMSWG), a coalition of media stakeholders, will hold a series of events on November 2, 2023, to mark the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists (IDEI). 

The events will aim to raise awareness about the challenges journalists face in Kenya and around the world and to call for action to protect their rights and safety.

The KMSWG will organize a public forum to commemorate the IDEI. 

The public forum will bring together journalists, civil society activists, human rights defenders, lawyers, government officials, and academia to discuss the state of press freedom and media safety in Kenya. 

The forum will also launch a study report on “The Impact of Disinformation and Misinformation on Media and Democracy in Kenya.”

The study by the Kenya Union of Journalists aimed to understand their prevalence, the diverse nature of false narratives, their impact on the electoral process, and strategies to counter the trend.

The public forum will be graced by Mr Renson Mulele Ingonga, Director of Public Prosecution, and Mr. Eliud Owalo, CS, Ministry of Information, Communication, and the Digital Economy in Kenya. 

They will address the key issues that affect the media sector in Kenya, such as:

• Unravelling the Web of Deceit: Disinformation, Misinformation and their Impact on Media Integrity and Democratic Processes in Kenya
• Empowering Equality: Strengthening National Protection and Safety Mechanisms through Gender-Responsiveness

The media roundtable will provide an opportunity for journalists to share their experiences and challenges in covering sensitive issues such as elections, corruption, human rights, and social protests. 

The roundtable will also explore ways to enhance media professionalism, ethics, and solidarity in the face of increasing threats and intimidation.

The KMSWG hopes that the events will highlight the importance of a free and independent press in promoting democracy, accountability, and development in Kenya. 

The KMSWG also urges the government and other stakeholders to take concrete steps to ensure that journalists can work without fear or favour, and that those who attack them are brought to justice.

Every year since 2013, the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists (IDEI) is commemorated on November 2 to raise awareness about the challenges journalists face.