The East Africa Press Council (EAPC), an umbrella body bringing together media regulatory authorities within the region, was launched on October 19, in Tanzania, with a view to achieving free and stronger professional journalism in the East African Community (EAC), officials have said.

The main objective of the EAPC, whose membership consists of media and press councils from the EAC Partner States, is to promote and protect free, independent, professional, and accountable media in EAC, according to a press release issued by EAC Secretariat.

ALSO READ: EAC media inch closer to joint regulatory body

Speaking at the event, the EAPC Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Media Council of Kenya, David Omwoyo, said that making media standards universal across the entire EAC region is critical if the media industry is to grow at a uniform pace and play its watchdog role effectively.

Omwoyo pointed out that it was challenging to have different media regulatory standards in the Partner States across the region.

The EAPC Treasurer, and Executive Secretary of the Rwanda Media Commission, Emmanuel Mugisha, said Rwanda was using media literacy to ensure that youth and members of the public are adequately prepared to use the media space, especially the social media, responsibly.

Again, he remarked, Rwanda was encouraging her media to promote Pan-African stories to correct the negative image of Africa by Western media over the years.

"As Africans, we need to tell our own story, stories that are in our own favour and portray a just image of ourselves,” he said.

In a speech read on his behalf by the Director Social Sectors at the EAC Secretariat, Irene Isaka, prior to the launch event, EAC General Peter Mathuki expressed hope that the launch of EAPC would lead to a more free, independent, and vibrant media that will, in turn, promote the principles of democracy, social justice and respect for human rights in the regional bloc.

Mathuki indicated that independent and professional journalism is the cornerstone of any democratic dispensation, without which freedom of expression is inhibited, and so are the basic rights of members of society. He held that empowerment of media on matters of regional integration was key.

ALSO READ: Media houses urged to promote Kiswahili use in EAC

"A vibrant media is essential for the attainment of social justice, rule of law, accountability, equality and protection of human and peoples’ rights. The wider society loses out when media cannot do its work independently and professionally as channels of free expression are strangled and public interest information is stifled, including through deterioration of investigative journalism,” Mathuki observed.

"Without robust, independent journalism, society, more so the weak, including women and youth, lose out as they have neither means nor relevant information to hold leaders to account and to demand what they are rightly entitled to,” added Mathuki, but warned against undue media control and over-regulation that can strangle it.

ALSO READ: How the media can play a more critical role in the East African Political Federation

For the Director of Information Services and Government Spokesman in the United Republic of Tanzania, Mohbare Matinyi, through EAPC, East African media, and press councils will find an ideal forum to share experiences and discuss regulatory issues in the region and advise their respective governments and media houses on how to achieve the objectives of having free, independent, professional, ethical, accountable, patriotic and responsible media.

Other people who were present at the abovementioned event are the Chairperson of the Uganda Media Council, Paul Ekochu, the EAPC Member and Vice Chairperson of the Media Council of Uganda, Okello Jabweli, and Judie Kaberia, Senior Project Manager at the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom.