Kenyan President Approves Controversial Law Rejected by PM

Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki has signed into law a much criticised media bill that has drawn protests and was rejected by his coalition partner, Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Since Kibaki appended his signature last Friday, there has been a lot of local and international criticism of the law, which experts say undermines democracy. The law gives the country's information and internal security ministries massive influence over the media and allows the government to shut down media outlets upon declaration of a state of emergency. The bill was passed last December by only 25 of Kenya’s 222 legislators, and was immediately denounced. Odinga then advised Kibaki not to sign it into law amid the arrests of journalists and civil activists protesting against it during Independence Day celebrations on December 12. [PE]