Just In: Journalists Barred From Parliament

New just in indicates that journalists have been told to be reporting parliamentary proceedings from outside parliament. This is indeed a sad day for parliamentary journalism in the country.

Like it has been, the Kenya Parliamentary Journalists Association has been liaising with the Parliamentary Service Commission and the leadership of the House in ensuring that Kenyans get to know what goes on in the corridors of Parliament and even in the plenary.

However, today the Clerk of the National Assembly Justin Bundi has issued an ultimatum to journalists to vacate Parliament’s media centre.

Kicking journalists out of the media centre makes the already difficult task of parliamentary coverage, including the coverage of the House proceedings, the MPs’ news conferences and committee work, very difficult.

Parliamentary journalists at work in the media centre shortly before the Clerk of the National Assembly said they should give room for the committees to meet June 5, 2013. Photo/ALPHONCE SHIUNDU

The National Assembly has converted the media centre into a committee room and told journalists that they will be allowed into Parliament “by invitation.”

KPJA Chairman Alphonce Shiundu states, “If the National Assembly holds its ground, then, journalists will
continue to cover Parliament, the way they used to before the Media Centre was established. All they need to do is to be given space to do their job in the public space that all the parliamentary buildings are.”