The Media Complaints Commission Chairman William Oketch has been appointed by the Council of the East Africa Law Society (EALS) to serve in the Technology, Media and Telecommunications Committee.
“We believe in your abilities and trust that you will execute your mandate accordingly. Membership to this Committee will afford you greater opportunities to contribute to the regional agenda as well as provide an interactive platform to offer your expertise, knowledge and support to the Society”, said EALS Chief Executive Officer Mr David Sigano on Mr Oketch’s appointment.
The EALS Technology and Media Law Committee will undertake several initiatives to promote media freedom. It will develop and propose for implementation products, services and programmes aimed at advancing the interests and capabilities of EALS members in technology and medial law as well as promote and facilitate members’ engagement in national and regional discussions and initiatives relating to legal and policy reforms in regulation of technology and the media.
The Committee will also devise strategies for disseminating newly generated knowledge on technology and media, to the membership of the society.
“As social engineers lawyers in the region we are best equipped to tackle challenges around media convergence by lobbying interventions and policies which secure press freedom and innovative tech solutions”, said Mr Oketch.
Mr Oketch is a High Court of Kenya Advocate with vast expertise in legal practice and compliance, consultation, adjudication, policy research, human rights, and civil society. As a governance consultant, he has advised and worked for government agencies and civil society organisations on legislative writing, policy and regulatory compliance, legal research, inter-agency negotiations, consensus building, and stakeholder mapping. He has previously served as among others, a Magistrate/Registrar with the Judiciary, Chairperson of the Communications and Multimedia Appeals Tribunal, Programme Associate at the International Commission of Jurists, Legal Officer at the Ministry of Medical Services and Legal Researcher and Drafter with the Committee of Experts on Constitutional Review of Kenya (COE).
EALS, formed in 1995, is the regional Bar Association of East Africa and is incorporated in Tanzania. It was jointly founded by a group of lawyers with the support of the leadership of the national Bar Associations of member states with an objective of fast-tracking the integration of East African communities through targeted support to cross-border commerce, the legal profession, civil societies, business communities and governments.
