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Media preparedness and coverage in this year’s General Election has so far been professional, focused and issue-oriented. A lot of serious work has gone into the preparations including, heavy investment in financial and human resources by the media houses to enable responsible and professional reporting. 

Obviously though, it has not been without challenges on safety of journalists, profiling and branding along tribal and ownership lines, disjointed peer review and solidarity approaches. Others include non-payment of staff, duplication of efforts and investment by the sector, and now the search for resources to enable deployment of more than 46,000 reporters to cover all the tallying centres that would enable alternative results dissemination. 

With the kind of preparation and investment, it is now incumbent upon the individual journalists and media practitioners, media owners and outlets, to remain professional, work within the various laws, administrative codes and regulations as provided for by the Constitution, various Acts, rules and regulations as well as editorial and operational guides in respective media houses. 

The media regulator—Media Council of Kenya—and professional media support-groups have signed a memoranda of association with the electoral management board relating to access to information and working relations, including the establishment of a steering committee, while media houses have established election reporting desks, acquired equipment and hired more staff to ensure they have a presence in all constituencies.  

Editorial staff have been trained on election reporting, with full awareness that about 70 per cent of the field staff will be reporting elections for the first time and exposed to best practices from around the globe. Technical staff have been trained and arrangements made on how the transmission of election results will be done using the infrastructure that is provided by the IEBC, both on the portal and links with IEBC results generated system.

Journalists are now required to ensure they are accredited by both IEBC and MCK to access voting and results transmission centres, work on their equipment and physical health, have critical contacts including those of security, editors, IEBC and colleagues, arrange for safe movement, accommodation and food. Scribes also need to dress up properly, carry painkillers and water as well as work with colleagues and avoid trouble spots. Media houses must enhance the security around their premises and offices and have contingency measures for staff.

It’s important that journalists observe the law so that they minimise conflicts with law enforcers. Several laws and regulations have been released by various regulatory bodies, which should be followed. Such regulations include the release of election results, guidelines on use of broadcast platforms, the radio and TVs and social media use. They must also remember laws on balloting prohibitions, false publication of withdrawal of candidate (Elections Act), interfering with voters in the casting of their vote in secret or revealing a voter’s marking of the ballot, communicating with voter after receipt of ballot paper; no publication of an Opinion Poll at least five days to the election, defamation, claim for influencing of election results and misreporting of results.

Corruption and influence or public relations content within the media during the election campaign period is an issue that has faced journalists during elections. Media “fixers with deep pockets” exert influence on the editorial teams while extortionists disguising as journalists with dead recorders and muted microphones make the work of the media very difficult. In addition, misinformation and propaganda remain a big challenge to media.

Balance and fair play doctrines remain a thorny issue even as political players make it difficulty for media to achieve by being evasive, economical with information and in extreme cases, being hostile to journalists.

For citizens to make well-informed decisions in an election, there must be a free media, but the media must be more than free, it must be reliable, professional, credible and trusted. It must be able to form independent and diverse views while at the same time avoiding comments that may generate violent conflict. This can be achieved if the media are run professionally and are not compromised by the State or corporate interests.

— The writer is the Director, Media Training and Development at the Media Council of Kenya