On Wednesday, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki asked to revise Kenyan journalists' payment arrangements.

Prof Kindiki remarked on World Freedom Day that thousands of journalists continue to raise issues affecting society daily but need more basic human provisions due to low pay and uncaring media sector players who accept this as usual.

The interior CS said it is arrogant of people to expect independent media and unbiased information from reporters when journalists go months without pay. Others cannot sustain themselves because the pay needs to be increased.

PHOTO | COURTESY Kithure Kindiki 

Kindiki urged media owners to pay journalists a wage consistent with their day's labour and the current cost of living.

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At the same time, the Interior Cabinet Secretary acknowledged a threat to the individual safety of Kenyan journalists and assured that his ministry would not hesitate to punish those who threaten journalists in their line of work.

Kindiki says they believe in an open society, and the media exemplifies this openness in the democracy, adding that they will continue to protect journalists' ability to do their jobs - both online and offline - and punish those who endanger reporters' safety the course of their work.

PHOTO | COURTESY world press freedom day

World Press Freedom Day, observed annually on May 3rd, was established by the United Nations General Assembly to promote awareness of the importance of press freedom and to remind governments of their responsibility to respect and preserve the right to free expression.

Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights enshrines the right to free expression.

If everything is alright in the news, something must be wrong with journalism.


"Shaping a Future of Rights: Freedom of Expression as a Driver for All Other Human Rights" is the theme for this year's celebration