PRESS RELEASE / FREEDOM OF INFORMATION, RIGHT TO KNOW

On this day May 3, 2010, the Rwandan media fraternity marked the “World Press Freedom Day” .

The event, organized by the Catholic Institute of Kabgayi in conjunction with the Ministry of information, Media High Council, Maison de la Presse, Rwanda Editor’s Forum and the Rwanda Association of Journalists, took place at the Catholic Institute of Kabgayi.

Discussions were held under the universal theme: “Freedom of information: The right to know”, where several speakers made presentations on various challenges facing the development of media in Rwanda.

Participants expressed their appreciation on the progress the country had registered in the promotion and safeguarding of media freedom, illustrated by several policies and laws enacted to this effect.

The media fraternity recognized the fact that despite there being a conducive environment to strengthen media freedom, few practitioners fully took advantage of the status quo. They acknowledged the existence of shortcomings in the profession and called for more efforts in building the capacity of journalists

Among the current weaknesses cited were:


• Weak media houses that lack business orientation, especially in the print media
• Self-censorship as a result of limited confidence and competence
• Abuse of press freedom in disregard to existing regulations
• Lack of diversity in content
• Concentration of coverage in urban areas while sidelining the rural community


They welcomed the progress of the draft law on Access to information that will soon be tabled in Parliament. Not only will the law facilitate access to public information in a transparent and timely manner, it will also lead to public officials being more accountable.

Whereas members of the media in Rwanda recognise the role of international media watchdogs, strongly disagree with the recent report by Reporters Without Borders which maliciously and erroneously maligned Rwanda and its media freedom record.

The media fraternity would like to recall that the organization has made it a habit of treating Rwanda as a media punching bag for ulterior motives.

Therefore, members of the media would like to bring to the attention of RSF, that labelling President Paul Kagame as a “predator of the Press, has diabolic connotations, disregarding the fact no journalist has ever been mistreated or killed in their line of duties ever since he came to office unlike in other countries we know.

Reporters Without Borders should endeavour to set the record straight by basing its reports on reliable and scientific evidence, and members of the Rwandan media are ready and willing to participate.