Press freedom lessons Kenya could borrow from Germany

There is plenty I could write about Germany. Like the time I ordered pork and was served an entire pig’s head, not quite the juicy chops I had in mind.

Or how I nearly turned into a popsicle in my light brown belted coat in the zero-degree November weather. I thought I knew cold, but Germany said, “Hold my beer.” But I digress.

Instead, I will tell you about something even cooler than the weather: Germany’s press freedom. During a recent Freedom of the Press seminar, I got a front-row seat to how the German media ecosystem operates.

As I listened and learned, my inner Kenyan journalist couldn’t help but make comparisons. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t flattering for Kenya.

In Germany, freedom of the press and speech isn’t just lip service. It’s law. Solid, constitutional law. “There are constitutional laws. Intimidation of journalists does not exist…this might be due to the culture or history of the country, but journalists are free to write on anything and critique politicians,” Stephan Malessa, spokesperson of the Landtag Parliament, told us.

Now contrast that with Kenya, where intimidation of the media feels like a political pastime. Lawsuits, threats, smear campaigns, even physical violence, name it, we’ve seen it all.

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Just this week, the Kenyan government attempted to gag Standard Group (the country’s second-largest media house) by seeking to revoke all its broadcasting licences. The media company has recently published stories exposing the current administration’s shortcomings. 

Kenyan journalists covering the now-infamous ‘Echoes of War’ school play were last week teargassed, assaulted, and had their equipment seized. This isn’t new. Every election cycle or protest seems to double as a live demo on how not to treat the press.

Meanwhile, in Germany, attacks on journalists are virtually unheard of. “The importance of journalists and editors is so great that many people describe them as the ‘fourth power’ alongside the executive, legislature, and judiciary,” states German publication deutschland.de. “The press is free, protected by the Constitution, and has a supervisory function, also with regard to itself.”

But, there are some similarities, as German Press Council Executive Director Roman Portack told us. GPC functions much like Kenya’s Media Council, handling complaints and holding the media accountable. Public reprimands are issued when needed, but not by court petitions or armed officers.

There’s also encouraging support from like-minded organisations, such as Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF), whose work in Kenya includes championing press freedom.

If Kenya is serious about democracy, not the word, the actual thing, then protecting journalists must become a priority. For a democracy to thrive and governments to be held accountable, a free press must exist, and Germany is showing us just how.

Let journalists do what they do best; tell the story - pig’s head and all.