Complaints Commissioners sworn into office

Five new members of the Complaints Commission of the Media Council of Kenya were sworn into office Wednesday at the Supreme Court Building in Nairobi.The new Commissioners who were sworn-in by High Court Judge Caroline Kendagor were Demus Kiprono (Chairperson), Kantim Mwanik, Maseme Machuka, Polly Gathoni Waweru and Nassra Hussein Omar.The Commission was constituted to ensure adherence to high standards of journalism as provided for in the Code of Conduct for the Practice of Journalism in Kenya in the Second Schedule of the Media Council Act (MCK), 2013.Speaking at the event MCK Chief Executive Officer David Omwoyo said that the constitution of the Commission was ongoing given that two more members of the Commission were yet to be gazetted.'The Council is aware that there are some commissioners who have not yet been appointed and we will engage the Judiciary once again to expedite their swearing-in upon resolution of any pending issues and to enable the Commission to be fully constituted,' said Omwoyo'We hope that with the appointment of the Complaints Commissioners, complaints regarding the media's ethical conduct shall be referred to the Complaints Commission with a view of entrenching professionalism and press freedom in Kenya,' he added.In his remarks, Kiprono, the incoming Chairperson of the Complaints Commission of Media Council of Kenya, said the Commission would work to ensure that compliance of the Code of Conduct for the Practice of Journalism in Kenya, freedom and independence of media in democracy and keeping the people informed is enforced.The Commissioners will be mandated with the role of resolving media disputes in the country in line with the Media Council Act, 2013.Source: Kenya News Agency