ICT CS Eliud Owalo calls for Objectivity as the Panel Recruiting the MCK Board Unveiled

By Shadrack Nyakoe

The Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Information, Communications and Digital Economy Eliud Owalo has asked the cadre recruiting the media council of Kenya board to be objective and rigorous during the process.

The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) is the principal body mandated to develop and regulate the media

industry in Kenya to promote media freedom, professionalism and independence established by law under the Media Council Act of 2013 to fulfill Article 34 (5) of the Constitution of Kenya which enshrines media freedom.

Owalo chaired the meeting to kick off the formation of the fourth Board of the Media Council of Kenya under the new Constitution. The selection panel will spearhead the appointment of the Board which will oversee the strategic direction of the Media Council of Kenya over the next three (3) years.

Speaking to journalists on Thursday at Teleposta Towers, the CS pledged to restore media freedom in the country.

“We will continue to grow a professional ecosystem in which the media sets its own standards and ensures there is internal compliance in line with Article 34 of the Constitution,” Mr Owalo said.

The meeting was attended by Edward Kisiang’ani – Principal Secretary State Department for Broadcasting and Telecommunications and David Omwoyo who is the Chief Executive Officer, Media Council of Kenya.

The nominees to the selection panel for recruitment of the chairperson and members of the media council of Kenya include; Kenya Union of Journalists – Mr. Oscar Obonyo, Media Owners Association – Mr. Emmanuel Juma, Kenya Editor’s Guild – Mr. Macharia Gaitho, Law Society of Kenya – Ms. Marlene Achieng Abongo, Kenya Correspondents Association – Mr. William Onyango Oloo, Public Relations Society of Kenya –Ms. Sylvia Mwichuli, National Gender and Equality Commission – Mr. Daniel Waitere, Association of Professional Societies in East Africa –Mr. Julius Melli, Consumers Federation of Kenya – Mr. Benjamin Langwen, Ministry – Ms. Juliana Yiapan, Kenya News Agency – Ms. Josphine Kinuthia and School of journalism public universities – Dr. Jane Wambui Thuo, School of journalism private universities – Dr. Kinya Mwithia.

“Moving forward, we wish to see a harmonious relationship between players in the media space. We have been saddened to observe what can be described as infighting and rivalries, including that between MCK and the Editors Guild,” he said.

The ministry’s Principal Secretary Prof Edward Kisianga’ni reiterated that the government will promote media independence, insisting that they had no preferred candidates for the job.