H.E. Daniel arap Moi
President of the Republic of Kenya
Nairobi
Kenya

Vienna, 14 July 1998

Your Excellency,

The International Press Institute (IPI) is deeply concerned about the de facto banning of three publications in Kenya.

On 10 July, the Registrar-General rejected registration of The Star, Finance and The Post on Sunday “under the provisions of the Books and Newspapers Act (cap 111).” Although we are informed that the Act is only a recording statute and does not concern acceptance or rejection of any publications, the denial of registration of the three publications in question means that they cannot publish or circulate , and is tantamount to a banning.

IPI is alarmed by the increasing number of press freedom violations in Kenya. On 29 June, Magayu Magayu, editor of The Star and Francis Mathenge Wanderi, managing director of Star Publishers Ltd., were charged with publishing an “alarming” publication which was said to cause fear and alarm among the public. On 8 July, Patrick Mayoyo, Mombasa correspondent for the daily Nation, received death threats from people suspected to be involved in a story he had written about court practices in the government customs department. On 10 July, Imanene Imathiu, a correspondent for the Nation was beaten by policemen while investigating allegations of corruption in an administrative police camp. On 11 July, youths seized and burned copies of the Nation in the streets of Nairobi following threats made by members of the National Development Party of Kenya (NDP) that they would destabilise the activities of the Nation Group.

IPI, the global network of editors and media executives, believes that the rejection of the registration of The Star, Finance and The Post on Sunday is a further attempt by the authorities to silence the critical voice of these publications in particular and the independent media in Kenya in general. Censorship, whether direct or indirect, is unacceptable, thus restrictions on the free entry to the field of journalism over its practice must be abolished. We therefore urge Your Excellency to ensure that the three publications are allowed to continue publishing and that they can do so without further harassment.

We thank you for your attention.

Yours sincerely,

Johann P. Fritz
Director