CLIMATE NEWS NETWORK AFRICA

The Kenya Online Journalists Association -KOJA joins CPJ to call on President Mwai Kibaki to reject the recently passed Kenya Communications Amendment Bill, which includes provisions that would severely harm press freedom. TO; H.E. Mwai Kibaki President of the Republic of Kenya Office of the President, Harambee House P.O. Box 30510 Nairobi, Kenya Via facsimile: (254) 202-50264 Dear Mr. President, We urge you to reject the recently passed Kenya Communications Amendment Bill, which includes provisions that would severely harm press freedom. Legislators approved the measure on December 10, ignoring concerns raised by journalists, media company owners, and even fellow lawmakers. This month, on the day marking Kenya's independence, journalists such as Caroline Mutoko, Larry Adego, Mzee Jalang'o were detained after demonstrating against this deeply flawed legislation. We believe the concerns of Kenya's media community should be heeded. Journalists are alarmed that

By Charles Ogallo. Scientists now warn Western Indian Ocean countries of a catastrophic future unless immediate interventions are put in place to reclaim the badly depilated Mangrove Forests in the region. They attributed frequent impacts of sea surges, inundations and natural disasters recorded in the recent years in the coastal areas as strong evidence of increased vulnerability of the region to ecological disasters. Researchers say mangroves which cover 37 percent of the WIO region and have significantly played economical and socio-cultural roles in the lives of coastal communities was badly being degraded. Mangroves were known to have environmental values as they protect the coastal strip from erosion. Mangroves forests also play vital roles biologically, with a high level of fauna biodiversity as over 80% of commercial fisheries and other aquatic species spent most or part of their life cycle in the mangroves. Ecologically, they play a crucial role in fertilisation, stabilisation,