Nairobi — Kenyans will not give up their rights of freedom of expression and the Press, the Government has been told.

The National Convention said on Thursday that the plan to set up a task force to audit media performance of the last General Election was uncalled for, adding that in a democracy, the Press is critical.

NCEC programme manager, Mr Ndung'u Wainana, said: "The Government should not live under the illusion that Kenyans will cede any of their hard-won freedoms."

Media Council members, from left, Mr Joseph Odindo, Mr Peter Mutie, Mr David Makali, and chairman, Mr Wachira Waruru, after a news conference, on Wednesday. Picture: Maxwell Agwanda

He, however, urged the media to be accountable and responsible.

At the same time, former Kabete MP, Mr Paul Muite, said the Government was going against the Media Act that established the council.

"This is a blatant attempt to bring, through the backdoor, efforts to gag and intimidate the media," he said.

The Information ministry and the Media Council of Kenya have been at loggerheads over who had the mandate to audit the media coverage of the pre- and post-election period.

MCK appointed a committee to step up a task force to assess the performance days after the Director of Information, Mr Ezekiel Mutua, announced he would establish a similar team.

On Wednesday, Mutua threatened to dissolve the council if it did not call off the parallel audit.

But the council, Editors Guild, Kenya Union of Journalists, lawyers and civil society have dismissed the threats, saying Mutua had not such powers.

They termed the move an attempt to restrain the Press, and a contravention of the Media Act.

On Thursday, Muite described as "retrogressive" the attempt to scrutinise the media. He warned that the Government could take advantage of the post-election crisis to impose draconian regulations on the media.

The former MP said the council was the only non-partisan group mandated to regulate the Press.

Muite, who chaired the Parliamentary Committee on the Administration of Justice and Legal Affairs in the last Parliament, dismissed Government allegations that the council's composition was wanting.

"The Government is not in a position to judge what is within the conduct of journalists," he said.

Muite pointed out that the House committee was key in preparing the Media Bill. The Act allows the Kenya Union of Journalists, Media Owners Association, Kenya Correspondents Association, Editors Guild, Information ministry, journalism training institutions, Law Society of Kenya, Public Relations Society of Kenya to nominate members to the council.

The former MP said the groups ensured the council's independence.

Meanwhile, the Kenya Correspondents Association (KCA) has censured the Government for plan to sabotage the council.

KCA chairman, Mr William Oloo Janak, and Secretary-General, Mr Musa Radoli, accused the Director of Information of frustrating the council.

"This is yet another attempt by the Government to suppress freedom of the Press. The threat to disband MCK is unfortunate and unacceptable," said Janak, a council member.