Media Owners have come out to strongly speak out against the signing of the Communication amendment bill 2008 by the president yesterday.

Led by the association's chairman Linus Gitahi, the media owners Saturday  said the new law had dealt a big blow to the media fraternity saying it will curtail press freedom

The signing of the media bill was the final blow to the media owners association but they are not throwing in the towel just yet.

They say that no development can be realized in a nation, without press freedom.

The Media Owners are reading mischief in the passing of the bill, claiming media stakeholders are not included in the panel of the communication commission of Kenya CCK.

They further allege that the new law totally disregards the role of the media council and media stakeholders

They also sought to clarify that the Kenya communication amendment bill 1998 only reserved the right for the government to seize telecommunication equipment and not broadcast as stated by the president Friday.

They now say they will put on a brave fight to champion for the right of Kenyans to access information freely.

Parliament unanimously passed the communications amendment bill 2008  in December  10 without any amendments as requested by media stakeholders.

The new law now gives the minister of Information powers to control what can be broadcast, when and in what form.

Under the bill, the Internal Security Minister has powers to seize broadcast equipment once the president has declared a state of emergency.

The media fraternity mainly took issue the powers the bill conferred on the minister for Information to control media content and his Internal Security counterpart to invade a media house and to seize broadcast equipment once the president has declared a state of emergency.

On December 12, 2008, the media engaged the government in confrontations and street protests, in objection to the bill urging the president to refer the bill back to parliament for amendment of contentious clauses.

The government however stood firm and accused the media of misleading the public on the interpretation of the bill which Friday eventually became a law.