Film Board concerned about ‘children’s content’ during long holidays
Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) has expressed fear of children being exposed to filthy films during this long holiday.
Speaking to journalists in Eldoret on the preparedness of the board to handle rogue film and theater investors in the North Rift region during the holiday and festive season, KFCB regional Manager Bonaventure Kioko urged parents and guardians to closely monitor what their children watch on various forms of media to protect them from being exposed to harmful content.
The Kenya Film Classification Board, KFCB said it was imperative that parents, guardians, caregivers, and other stakeholders remained vigilant to ensure that the content their children are exposed to on television, social media platforms, and other broadcast channels during the school holiday does not corrupt their morals.
Mr Kioko also advised that it was important for the parents to appropriately guide the children on media content to safeguard their welfare.
“This will help safeguard children from being exposed to harmful film and broadcast content, immoral behaviour, and adult experiences especially now they are home for the holiday,” said Kioko
He observed that some content the children were being exposed to on the various media platforms contained violence, sex, obscenity, and nudity.
“The children are also exposed to content promoting the use of prohibited drugs, and other substance abuse, crime promotion, foul language, radicalization, propaganda for war, hate speech and incitement that may influence the children negatively,” said the regional manager.
Mr Kioko called upon parents, guardians, caregivers, the media, PSV’s content creators, distributors, and exhibitors as well as artists to act responsibly and professionally in safeguarding the welfare of the children and preventing corruption of their moral values.
At the same time, the board said they are currently investigating unscrupulous film operators as well as video businesses exposing children to adult content and that they will be arrested and their license revoked.
He singled out Transzoia, Uasin Gishu where the vice is given, saying stern action will be taken against such individuals.
He regretted that one of the notorious video shows in Kitale town is owned by a female police officer who thinks that she is untouchable.
“It is unfortunate that one of the videos shown in Kitale that is giving us a headache is owned by a government officer who is supposed to support our effort in protecting children from filth content, but unfortunately she is propagating evil by exposing children to filth.
Mr Kioko said stern action would be taken against the officer regardless of her position.
He said that the same videos are being used as dens of alcohol and illicit drugs that are being sold to children in bright daylight.
According to the Film and Stage Plays Act Cap 222, section 12(1), no person shall exhibit any film at an exhibition to which the public is admitted unless they are registered as exhibitors and issued with a certificate, he reminded.
He added that those violating the law risk a fine of not more than Sh. 100,000 or imprisonment of not more than five years, or both.
The Regional Manager also cautioned video gaming joints to desist from exposing children to graphic violent and other offensive content.
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