The Media Owners Association (MOA) of Kenya has waged a spirited fight against a new set of laws tabled before parliament that seeks to give Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Interior, Fred Matiang' i, additional powers.
The proposed laws provided for under the Alcoholic Drinks Control (Amendment) Bill, 2019, popularly known as Mututho Law, wishes to give Matiang' i sole powers to determine when advertisements of alcohol shall be aired.
As reported by the Nation on Saturday, March 7, the MOA provided that the proposed amendment unnecessarily limited advertising without actually solving the problem of under-age alcoholic consumption.
"The management seeks to duplicate a role and mandate that already exists and is currently being undertaken by the Communications Authority of Kenya," stated Clifford Machoka, the Nation Media Head of Corporate Affairs speaking for the MOA.
The media owners were addressing the members of parliament as the proposed amendment bill remains on the floor of the house.
They further stated that the laws would be ineffective in any case as the youth were already exposed to alcoholic advertisements over the internet which remains unregulated and cannot be bound within a predetermined set of hours.
The clamor for a rejection of the proposed laws was also echoed by East African Breweries Limited and Keroche Breweries which asked the National Assembly's Committee on Administration and National Security to throw out the proposed changes to the Mututho law.
The groups submitted that there were already adequate measures in place to mitigate exposure of minors from accessing and consuming these alcoholic drinks.
"We submit to the committee that there are adequate measures in place both in law and in practice to mitigate against exposure of minors and other vulnerable groups in the community from access and consumption of alcohol," stated Eric Kiniti, EABL Group Corporate Relations Director.
Aside from granting Matiang'i more powers, the proposed amendment also seeks to place limits on the content in alcoholic advertisements.
Under this, advertisers will be barred from suggesting that alcohol promotes social success, that it can cure or treat any human disease and that it is foolish to refuse a proffered alcoholic drink.
The bill, if passed, would see those who contravene the provisions liable to a fine not exceeding Ksh 500,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or both.
