Media Bill could be passed today

KIGALI - The long awaited media bill will today undergo a final endorsement by the lower Chamber of Parliament after prolonged battles between it and the Senate on issues of amendments. According to Bernadette Kanzayire, the chairperson of the commission on political affairs in the lower chamber, the bill will have its amendments approved before being forwarded to the President’s Office for promulgation. “We have finally reached a consensus; the House will endorse it on Monday afternoon. I don’t think they will change anything, it’s a matter of endorsing and forwarding it to the Office of the President,” said Kanzayire who also headed the joint ad hoc commission by both Chambers to find a common ground on the proposed amendments by both Houses. Speaking to The New Times yesterday, the Minister of Information, Louise Mushikiwabo, said that she was upbeat, adding that the law will help put in place a better organised media environment. “The bill will enhance professionalism, ethics and provide all necessary information to investors who want to start up media houses in the country,” Mushikiwabo reiterated. Asked about claims that the bill has many barriers of access to information, she dismissed these as baseless and unfounded. She added that the House agreed on the practical decision of making start-up capital be defined by a ministerial decree. “The restricted news to be published is universal, we did not add our restriction and perhaps the people with those claims lack enough information on this Bill,” Mushikiwabo said on phone. When contacted, the president of the Rwanda Journalists’ Association (ARJ) Gaspard Safari, refused to give a detailed comment saying that he will attend the session to see if his organisation’s concerns were included in the bill before commenting. “We do meet the President (of the Republic) many times, and we will soon have a retreat with him so when we find issues that are contrary to what we expect, we shall appeal to him,” Safari stressed. Asked the concerns his organisation presented to the house or consideration, he held back promising to elaborate today after de session. “Our concerns were about the revealing our sources of information, the required capital to establish a media house and criminalising libel....any official will wake up and drag you to court over this,” said Leo Nkusi a local journalist. Ends

National

Media Bill could be passed today