IEBC Commends Media Pledge to Work Closely
By Mwakwaya Raymond
Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com
Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission IEBC has lauded journalists in the Coast Region for reporting electoral matters objectively and responsibly.
The IEBC Recruiting Officer for Malindi Constituency Mr Masha Sudi added that the role of the media is critical in the electoral process, especially as the country approaches 2022 general elections.
Mr Sudi said so far the journalists have handled sensitive issues in a responsible manner by verifying and presenting full perspectives for the benefit of the public.
He was speaking to the Media Council of Kenya Regional coordinator for Mombasa Ms Maureen Mudi who had paid a courtesy call.
He called upon journalists to sustain their current efforts in enhancing voter registration.
The Recruiting Officer said: “We are happy to note that incidences of inaccurate reporting by journalists are rare and we desire to move forward in the same way”.
Info updates
On her part Ms Mudi, the MCK coordinator in the region, said as long as the IEBC and other government officials facilitate media access to information, journalists would remain true to their calling.
She called for replication of the IEBC-media cooperation in all other government institutions and departments.
“As media industry, we appreciate the periodic updates by the IEBC officials. That’s how business of news reporting should always be done,” Ms Midi added.
Recently IEBC entered in a Memorandum with Media council of Kenya on access to information.
Mudi also called on IEBC to consider upcoming community media houses in terms of advertising, saying such would greatly help in sustaining their comeback from the COVID-19 induced slump.
Mr Sudi supported the idea but challenged the small and medium media enterprises to comply with all statutory requirements.
Meanwhile Kilifi County Executive Member for Education Prof Gabriel Katana Gona said Media should take its rightful position when it comes to dissemination of information.
He said though the country enjoys the fruit of devolution since the promulgation of the new constitution there’s still a gap on information pertaining the services devolved.
Gaps in devolution
He added that the media needs to do serious sensation to enable locals to understand the services which they can easily access at their areas of jurisdiction.
‘Many are people who waste alot of energy and time to look for services that were devolved long before but due to lack of sensitisation; they never know where to go for such services” said Prof Gona.
The MCK Regional coordinator visited all local media houses including Lulu FM, Radio Jahazi and Shungwaya Broadcasting Services within Kilifi County.
