Nairobi — Kenyan journalists and a political party yesterday condemned the blockade of Uganda's only independent daily, The Monitor.

The Kenya Union of Journalists and the Media Institute appealed to the Ugandan Government to end the siege and return confiscated equipment. They also called for the release of reporter Frank Nyakairu, being held by police over a controversial report alleging the crash of an army helicopter in combat.

The Social Party for Advancement and Reforms in Kenya (Spark) urged the Ugandan Government to resolve the dispute through civil methods.

The media organisations urged the East African Assembly to intervene "in this gross violation of the right to property, life and free speech."

KUJ secretary-general Ezekiel Mutua and Media Institute director David Makali said at a Press conference in Nairobi: "We call on all media in the region to stand up in solidarity with our Ugandan counterparts. This is not a matter for The Monitor or the Nation Media Group alone but one that concerns the Press and Kenyan investors in the media."

In a joint statement, the officials described the continued siege of the paper's offices in Kampala by security forces, as a violation of the freedom of the Press and information enshrined in the Ugandan Constitution and various international conventions.

They said: "Confiscating equipment and shutting down of a newspaper is an outdated, excessive and expensive act of censorship. President Yoweri Museveni should not be allowed to gag the independent Press."

Spark leader Shem Ochuodho said: "As Kenyans, we do not wish to appear chauvinistic, bigoted and pretentious but we take cognisance of the fact that the Nation Media Group, the largest in East and Central Africa region, is well heeled in journalistic and media professionalism."

He added: "We are concerned that such actions as the blockade may not augur well in the promotion of investment and trade within the East African Community."

The Free Press Advocacy Department (FPAD) of KensMedia wrote to the Ugandan High Commission in Nairobi condemning the blockade.

The blockade has remained in place yesterday for the sixth day and the office was out of bounds to employees while the paper was not published for the seventh consecutive day.

The move has drawn criticism from donors and human rights pressure groups worldwide.