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Eleven journalists attend conference in Nairobi
2006-05-03 09:47:02
By Guardian Reporter
Eleven journalists left for Nairobi, Kenya yesterday to attend a three-day conference for journalists from East Africa.
The conference entitled Enhancing East Africa’s Media Role in Strengthening the Democratisation Process coincides with the 15th World Press Freedom Day today and is organised by the United States Embassy in Kenya, together with the United States International University.
A statement issued yesterday by the US embassy said there would be more than 80 participants from the media in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, as well as a few observers from Madagascar.
The journalists are: Peter Nyanje (The Citizen), Kibwana Dachi (Channel Ten), Bilal Abdul-Azizi (The Guardian), Kizito Makoye (The Express) and Stephen Chuwa (ITV).
Others are Rose Athumani (The Citizen), Hamisi Dammbaya (Radio Free Africa), Joan Itanisa (Star TV), Ngwiji Akilimali (Msanii Afrika), Ally Saleh (BBC Swahili Service) and TVT’s Director Mr Samwillu Mwaffisi, who will be one of the panelists.
The purpose of the conference will be to consider the role of the media in the region’s democratisation, and discuss subjects related to the globalisation of information, the media and elections, press professionalism and ethics.
Speakers and honoured guests at the conference will include Prof. Ali Mazrui who is Chancellor at the Jomo Kenyatta University, Journalists Shaka Ssali who is a presenter for Voice of America, and Salim Lone, Kenyan journalist and former public spokesman for the United Nations.
Topics that will be discussed include the role of the media in strengthening democracy; investigative journalism: its place in the democratisation process; government regulations/ restrictions on the media; corruption; cross media ownership and conflict of interest; and media ethics: ’drinking wine and preaching water.’
’Issues of media freedom and responsibility have come to the fore recently in the countries of East Africa, as the media continues to develop strengthen and play an increasingly important role in the democratic process,’ said U.S Embassy spokesperson John Haynes in Dar es Salaam commenting on the conference.
Haynes added that East Africa is going through a period of political transition including some recent incidents, such as the closing of newspapers and newssheets and burning of newspapers by the police, in which the boundary of freedom of the press are being tested.
Noting the importance of reaffirming the role a responsible media plays in the democratic process, especially on World Press Freedom Day, he said:’In this time of uncertainty we need to reach as broad an audience as possible with our message of how the media functions in a democracy and the acceptance of international media norms.’
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