The year 2008 started with a bang and ended with yet another in the year 2008. Following the 2007 post election violence, the government slapped a ban on live broadcasts on the eve of 2008 saying this was necessary to preserve national security at the time.
This came as a surprise to the media fraternity. Media organizations petitioned the government to lift the ban. The government also came under heavy criticism from the civil society and Non-Governmental Organizations for reversing the gains recorded over the years brought about by the widening of democratic space and the associated freedom of speech. Despite the protests the government stood its ground. It accused the media for fuelling the violence by spreading hate speech messages. Central to these accusations were the vernacular FM stations and community radio stations which were said to preach tribal hatred.
The ban was later lifted. At the close of the year, Hon Mwai Kibaki, the President of Kenya, signed into law the Kenya Communications Bill. The bill covers ICT, media and postal services. The media reacted angrily to sections of that they felt bordered on repression of the media. Talks to sort out the issue were initiated. By the end of the year, the Act was in force and the talks were still going on. This publication is a brief account of Kenya media in 2008 and is in fulfillment of Article 4(l) of the Media Act 2007 which states: “[the Media council will] conduct an annual review of the performance and the general opinion of the media.”