PEN Africa Network (PAN), the umbrella body of African Centres of PEN International, has condemned the suspension of Denis Galava, the Managing Editor of Kenya’s state-owned Nation Media Group (NMG) over an editorial in the Nation newspaper.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Secretary General, Dr Frankie Asare –Donkor.

Read full statement below

PAN Condemns Suspension of Denis Galava 

PEN Africa Network (PAN), the umbrella body of African Centres of PEN International, has learnt with shock and dismay the suspension of Denis Galava, the Managing Editor (Special Projects) of Kenya’s state-owned Nation Media Group (NMG) over an editorial in the Nation newspaper. 

In an editorial published in the January 2, 2016 edition of the paper, titled “Mr President, get your act together this year”, the paper criticised President Uhuru Kenyatta and his government’s administration, highlighting issues about poor leadership which has led to political patronage, unemployment, corruption, bureaucratic incompetence, and economic paralysis. 

Following the editorial, the management of NMG has suspended Galava. This, according to the Editor in Chief of NMG, Tom Mshindi, was due to “the lack of consultation where one writer takes a strong position on such an important issue single-handedly, without broad discussion and consultation”, and describing Galava’s action as “a significant departure from established procedure”. 

PAN in no uncertain terms condemns this attitude of the management of the Nation Media Group, as we consider the action taken against Galava as an attempt by the government to suppress the independence and freedom of the media and free expression by the citizens of Kenya. 

We need to emphasise that journalists working in state-owned media are not an extension of government propaganda machinery, and therefore the action of the NMG amounts to total surrender of the NMG’s independence, and a show of its bias in favour of the ruling government, which does great harm to Kenya’s democracy. 

PAN therefore calls for the immediate recall of Denis Galava to his position. 

We also wish to remind His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta, and indeed all African heads of state that Africa has had enough of the dictatorial rule of the 1970s and 1980s where majority of countries on the African continent were hijacked by military usurpers and autocrats who killed press freedom and freedom of expression. 

As the continent strives towards democratic governance, we urge all African countries and their leaders to stop the molestation and intimidation of journalists who voice the concerns of the majority of the citizens. 

We also request media organisations, especially state-owned media, and their executives to stop mortgaging the independence of the media to government by turning their media organisations into government propaganda outlets thereby punishing independent journalists unnecessarily for merely practising professionally. 

We hereby call on President Kenyatta to immediately direct the reinstatement of Denis Galava.