Kenya: The High Court has stopped the reconstituting of the Media Council of Kenya and formation of the Communications and Multi-Media Tribunal.
Lawyers Philip Murgor and Paul Muite leave the Milimani Law Courts Tuesday. PHOTO: FIDELIS KABUNYI/STANDARD
Justice Mumbi Ngugi ordered that the status quo stays until Friday when she will give further directions.
The orders came after spirited arguments by senior counsel representing the media fraternity Paul Muite and James Orengo applied to have conservatory orders barring the Cabinet Secretary for Information and Communication Fred Matiang’i from constituting a selection panel to interview applicants for the two bodies.
Just after consolidating the case of Nation Media Group, Standard Group and Royal Media Services with the one filled by the Kenya Editors Guild (KEG), Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) and Kenya Correspondents’ Association (KCA), Justice Ngugi also enjoined the suit against Mr Matiang’i by the Media Council of Kenya (MCK).
Status quo
“In order not to make the application before me nugatory, in the meantime, let the status quo (the current office bearers) remain the same,” Ngugi said.
Ngugi made the order after hearing fervent arguments by seven petitioners against the Government and the Cabinet Secretary.
A Mrs Ndegwa came to court seeking to change the lawyers representing KEG and KCA.
KEG and KCA have since distanced themselves from the lawyer, saying she has no instructions to represent their interests and have invited the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to investigate attempts to fraudulently change officials at the Registrar of Societies.
Investigate claims
“Our lawyer Orengo is still on record and is handling the matter and has written to the EACC to investigate the claims. Those are acts of saboteurs who want to muzzle the media by serving vested interests,” KEG Vice Chair David Ohito told The Standard.
Orengo told the court as far as he is concerned, he has not been told to stop representing his clients. “I am still on record until proper applications are made in court,” he said.
Ngugi went ahead to hear the issues of urgency raised by Senior Counsel Muite and Orengo seeking restraining orders against the Cabinet Secretary from implementing the controversial Kenya Information and Communication Amendments Act and the Media Council Act 2013.
By KURIAN MUSA, The Standard