In her speech the Ambassador took the opportunity of relating this important debate on the conduct of the media, to the role media had played in the Kenyan election campaigns and during the post-election crisis in Kenya.
The ambassador congratulated the media for its overall constructive role in the pre- and post election period, and especially highlighted the Media Council of Kenya’s admirable firm stance for press freedom in the polarised political climate that occurred, where the freedom of expression and the right to information came under pressure from the state.
The ambassador further underlined the importance of all actors, especially the state, of continuing to safeguard these rights in all circumstances. This was also the case in situations where the political climate could be difficult and tensions ran high.
At such junctures in at nation’s development, the freedom of expression was all the more important to safeguard in order to secure that all voices be heard and listened to. However, the general responsibility of the media in assuring that reports were not inciting violence and instead contributed to a peaceful debate was an equally important task.
The seminar was sponsored by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
You can read the speech here.