The Media Council of Kenya - MCK on Tuesday, August 23 revealed that at least 43 journalists were harassed during the just concluded August 9 polls.
In a press statement, MCK noted that the media preparedness and coverage of the polls were more satisfactory than in the previous elections, especially on reporting results.
“Efforts for joint media tallying of election results started too late to materialize but media coverage of the election was top notch,” the statement read.
Further, it also released a preliminary report titled “ Hits and Misses: Media Performance and Press Freedom Violations Pre, During, And Post August 9 General Election In Kenya,”
In the run-up to the August 9 polls, MCK trained over 3,500 journalists and practitioners on election coverage, reporting on opinion polls, and ethical principles.
In addition, the regulator noted that it had accredited over 11,000 local and international journalists and media practitioners to cover the elections across the Country.
It expressed its concerns that there were cases of press freedom violation including profiling of journalists and media outlets, and in some cases, physical assault.
MCK called on the police and other agencies to expedite investigations and bring the culprits to book.
The institution also noted that it observed gaps in logistical and social support for journalists, especially at the counties by their employees.
It also set up eight media centers countrywide where it provided media practitioners with a conducive environment and technical and logistical support.
Furthermore, the Council noted the spread of misinformation and propaganda during the election period, especially on digital platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
The Council urged media houses to collaborate and report important information to the public such as tallying of the results.
Kenya's played a key role in the election process, through partnership with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission-IEBC, including independent tallying of results.
IEBC chair Wafula Chebukati however called out the media for not having a joint tallying centre, leading to varying figures that each outlet transmitted.
