Members of the Kenyan Parliament have expressed anger because the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation has allowed China Radio International to broadcast using its frequencies. MPs demanded to know the terms of the contract, fearing that Kenya could be losing its sovereignty to China. The State broadcaster had not been allowed to broadcast in China, the MPs said.
Zaddock Syongo (Gwasi, Narc) wanted to be told how much airtime KBC radio and television had ceded to the Chinese media house to date, and what steps the Government was taking to ensure that Kenya got equal access to broadcast in China. He said Radio China [sic] had literally taken over KBC radio’s General and National services. Mr Syongo said whereas the contract should have been of mutual benefit, China was yet to meet its part of the bargain, four years down the line.
Mr Mwandawiro Mganga (Wundanyi, Ford People) said KBC as a national broadcaster should not have allowed its frequencies to be used by a foreign radio station. Mr Peter Munya (Tigania East, Safina) said most countries used their national broadcaster to propagate their values and culture, and feared that Kenya was being inundated with Chinese culture. Mr Joe Khamisi (Bahari, Narc) accused the Government of underfunding KBC, which was now competing with private stations. As a result, the former KBC Managing Director said, it had been forced to enter into contracts with foreigners.
Mr Koigi wa Wamwere, an Assistant Minister for Information and Communications, agreed with MPs that there was need for a more structured relationship between the two broadcasting stations. He said China Radio International started broadcasting at KBC from September 2002 after entering into a bilateral agreement in May, 2001. The purpose was to promote greater understanding between the peoples of Kenya and China and to encourage business and commercial relations among enterprises in the two countries through the provision of equipment, training and co-production.
KBC had ceded to the Chinese media house 1,240 TV hours to date, and radio KBC 2,726 hours at Sh37,000 (approx US$500) per hour.
(Source: The Nation/R. Netherlands Media Network Weblog)