Kenyan Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka on Saturday called for the need to guarantee Media freedom if the East African nation is to accelerate its socio-economic transformation.

Speaking in Nairobi when he officially opened a three day seminar on Media Law, Musyoka noted that most of the constitutions in the Eastern Africa region have a legacy of legal provisions that restrict freedom of expression beyond the levels permitted under international laws.

"What we need are progressive media laws and policies that enable independent and professional journalism rather than restrain it through structures imposed by legislative bodies or by laws," the VP said.

He said continued review of laws relating to media will ensure internationally accepted standards of freedom of expression and effective media operations.

He observed that unless new and emerging democracies embrace a level of freedom that allows positive criticism, they shall remain outside the perimeter of progressive media.

The three-day meeting which was organized by the East Africa Journalists Association (EAJA) and UNESCO brings participants in the East African region and several other parts of the continent.

Musyoka underscored the role of the media in development and stressed the need to provide a friendly legal environment to enable them serve the society well.

He regretted that many media organizations and journalists operate under severe constraints and threats of closure, harassment and even threats of elimination.

"I am a supporter of regimes that encourage media practitioners to develop their own codes of ethics and establish self-regulatory system," he said.

The Vice President emphasized that safety and security of journalists in the region must be prioritized to enable them influence the society positively.

Musyoka called for immediate cessation of lethal hostilities against on journalists working in Somalia, adding that Kenya is willing to prosecute anyone suspected of committing crime against journalists in Somalia or any other country.

Regional Advisor for Communication and Information, UNESCO, Dr. Jean-Pierre IIboudo, assured that his organization will continue partnering with governments and other media stakeholders in reforming the media laws in the region.

He noted that some countries had the most repressive media laws that are used to suppress freedom of press, citing the killing of six journalists in Somalia, detention under framed charges.

Dr.IIboudo added that silencing the media is unacceptable in a democratic country and called on governments in the region to be commited to reforming the media laws that are acceptable internationally.

Kenya's Information Secretary, Ezekiel Mutua, assured that the media laws were being harmonized so that they align to the new constitution.

He said there was need for broader responsibility for journalists in their assignments. Chairman, Media Council of Kenya (MCK), Professor Levi Obonyo, commended the government for deregulating the media, saying the media stakeholders should control themselves.

He however noted that there were challenges like censorship by media houses, influences by media owners and threats from organized political gangs to threaten journalists among others.

Obonyo assured that MCK was committed to addressing all the problems and urged journalists to popularize themselves with the media laws.