Kenya was ranked 69th out of 180 countries in the 2022 World Press Freedom Index making it the top country in East Africa in press freedom.
Kenya was ranked 102 out of 180 countries in 2021, with a score of 66.35. Kenya was ranked 69th this year, with a score of 64.59.
Political, economic, legislative, social, and security indicators were used. Since January 1, 2022, no journalists or media workers have been killed or imprisoned in the country, according to RSF.
Uganda was ranked 132 out of 180 countries, with a 46.35 percentile score. Tanzania rose from 124 in 2021 to 123 in 2022. The Democratic Republic of Congo moved up to 125th place from 149th place in 2021.
South Sudan was ranked 128th, up from 139th in 2021, and Rwanda was ranked 136th, up from 156th. RSF reports that two journalists are currently imprisoned in Rwanda.
Burkina Faso ranked 41, Sierra Leone 46, Gambia 50, Niger 59, Ghana 60, Papua New Guinea 62, Mauritius 64, Namibia 18th, South Africa 35th, Cabo Verde 36th, Ivory Coast 37th, Burkina Faso 41, Sierra Leone 46, Gambia 50, Niger 59 and Ghana 60.
The top three are Norway, Denmark and Sweden while the last three are Iran, Eritrea and North Korea.
The report adds that despite a wave of liberalisation in the 1990s in Africa, there are still far too many cases of arbitrary censorship, particularly on the internet, with occasional network shutdowns in some countries, journalist arrests, and violent attacks.
These are usually left unpunished, as was the case with the 2016 disappearance of Malian journalist Birama Touré, who was kidnapped by a Malian intelligence agency and most likely killed while secretly detained, as RSF demonstrated.
African media outlets struggle to develop sustainable economic models because they are frequently under-supported by the government and remain largely dependent on the editorial dictates of their owners.
In 2021, two Spanish journalists were assassinated in Burkina Faso (41st), a French journalist, Olivier Dubois, was kidnapped by an armed group in Mali (111th), and several journalists were expelled from Benin (121st), Burkina Faso and Mali.
Reporters Sans Frontieres RSF has reported that 25 journalists and 2 media workers have been killed while 460 journalists and 19 media workers are in prison globally since the year began.
Comments