This is Why You May NEVER See Another Investigative Story by Mohammed Ali and John Allan Namu

The government plans to slap investigative journalists with a new law that will automatically clip their wings.

Investigative journalists have a big reason to worry if the proposed Security Law (amendment) Bill 2014 sees the light of the day; media freedom is being put on trial. The proposed Bill seeks to “tame” nosy investigative journalists who like poking their noses on government affairs.

Kenya’s undisputed kings of investigative journalism, Mohammed Ali and John Allan Namu, may soon find themselves without jobs. The two have always been a pain in the government’s neck; their exposé have always shaken the country to its roots.

Jicho Pevu and Inside Story’s reports have always conflicted with the government’s side of the story, exposé on disputed Presidential elections, West Gate massacre, “radical” Muslim clerics killings etc are some of the incidents that attracted government’s wrath on investigative journalists.

The proposed Security Law (amendment) Bill 2014 seeks to jail journalists who are found guilty of undermining government’s investigations or security operations through their broadcasts or publications. The Bill proposes such persons be jailed for 3 years or be fined 5 million shillings if found guilty.

Investigative journalists will have to seek authorization from the National Police Service before they could run their investigative pieces. This begs the question of how government will allow journalists to investigate it without interfering with the content of the investigative itself.