Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki has signed into law a media Bill that journalists say will curtail press freedom.

According to a BBC News report, the law gives the Kenyan authorities the power to raid media offices, tap phones and control broadcast content on grounds of national security. Kibaki said he had carefully considered the concerns but added that press freedom 'must go hand in hand with responsibility'. He said the Bill was crucial for Kenya's economic development. Kibaki added that regulating the electronic media would promote and 'safeguard our culture, moral values and nationhood'. The Standard reports that condemnation of the move continues to grow with some critics predicting that radio and TV stations that are seen to be critical of the government will be shut down. The International Commission on Jurists (ICJ) said Kibaki had reversed all the democratic gains fought for over two decades. 'We are concerned that section 88 can now be used any time to suppress the media. We are asking the media fraternity and Kenyans of good will to relentlessly push for the repeal of the section no matter what it takes,' said ICJ chairman Wilfred Nderitu.
Full BBC News report
Full report in The Standard