Press freedom: Rwanda ranked fourth in Africa

Rwanda has been ranked 30th country with the freest press in a global press freedom survey conducted by the Gallup Polling Organisation.The findings were released yesterday as the world marked the World Press Freedom Day.Gallup based its finding on public opinions, with 78 per cent of Rwandans saying there is press freedom while 18 per cent said there is no press freedom in Rwanda, and 4 per cent abstained or said they don’t know.This put Rwanda in fourth position in Africa after Senegal, Ghana, and Niger. In their analysis, Gallup indicated that, “public opinion about press freedom serves as a useful barometer of residents’ perception of the media in their countries, while evaluations from Freedom House and Reporters Without Borders provide expert appraisals of media environments.”The two organisations normally rank Rwanda poorly. However, all is not well in the region. According to a statement issued by Secretary General of Eastern Africa Journalists Association (EAJA), Omar Faruk Osman, 18 media practitioners were murdered in the region since last World Press Freedom Day. Somalia has, in the past five years, topped the list of deadliest countries for journalists in Africa.“We wish to pay our deepest respect to those journalists in Eastern Africa who lost their lives in the line of duty; our thoughts go out to their families, friends and colleagues who will be missing them for the rest of their lives,” reads part of the statement.It adds that; “…EAJA salutes all the champions of press freedom and freedom of expression across the world, especially those in Eastern Africa who have assumed tremendous risks associated with media work.”The statement called on governments in Eastern Africa to live up to their obligation, commitments and imperative duty by ensuring that journalists are protected.“Eastern African governments must execute their mandatory responsibility of investigating and prosecuting violence against journalists.”The Minister of Local government, James Musoni, in a statement issued on the eve of the World Press Freedom Day said that the government is committed to supporting the development of free, dynamic and responsible media.“Our intention is to support the development of a media environment that is sensitive to our past, responsive to the present and that keeps us accountable as we work to deliver a bright future for all Rwandans,” said Minister Musoni.He said Rwanda continues to promote “safeguards for freedom and independence of the press and delivering on its pledge to promote accountability and foster public participation and engagement”.Government recently promulgated several media related laws, including the Media law and Access to Information law which compels public officials to release public information to journalists.

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Press freedom: Rwanda ranked fourth in Africa