By Khalifa Hemed
Published February 9, 2018
Canada has called upon Kenya to respect the rule of law in the wake of media shutdown and arrest of members of the political opposition.
The government of the North American country says it is ‘deeply concerned’ about Kenya’s ‘unlawful detention of opposition members without due process or access to counsel, and the shutdown of, and restrictions on, certain media outlets’.
Quoting David Maraga, the Chief Justice of Kenya, the Ottawa-based government says ‘there have been worrying developments in the administration of justice that threaten the rule of law.’ A free media and adherence to the rule of law, Canada says, are essential components of democracy.
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Canada, that says it is ‘deeply concerned by some of the Government of Kenya’s recent actions’, urges ‘the Government of Kenya to uphold its constitution, to allow freedom of expression and to respect court orders, including those that order the release of those granted bail.’
In a statement issued on February 8, 2018, Canada calls upon ‘Kenyans of all political beliefs [to] come together to peacefully resolve their differences.’
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On its part, Britain, from whose rule Kenya gained independence in 1963, says its ‘support is for the constitution and for the law, and that those acting outside those things should not be doing so, but should be acting in the spirit of promoting dialogue.’
“I would urge the government, as I have done, to allow the media to operate freely, not simply because it’s the right thing to do, but because it contributes very strongly to the positive image that Kenya has in the world,” Nic Hailey, the British High Commissioner to Kenya, says in a statement issued on February 8, 2018.
