Panelists in the opening session of the two-day conference dubbed Media and the African Promise further called for an urgent revival of what they described as a dysfunctional relationship between media and top African leadership.

Speakers during a Pan African Media Conference also want journalists to embrace responsible journalism as a means of self-regulation as opposed to freedom without checks.

Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and Nation Media Group founder His Highness the Aga Khan agreed that whereas more room should be opened for discussion between media and African governments, journalists should exercise professionalism so as to safeguard gains, while advocating for more achievements.

"Media Freedom requires consistent vigilance, freedom does not mean abuse of the right of others, Africa should not allow the worst of media practices," the Aga Khan noted. Freedom does not mean a moral licence to abuse this freedom, responsible reportage is the best way to maintain the indispensability of the media.

He addded that the agenda of media owners should always be questioned, be it religious, ethnic or even political, in order to protect and preserve the environment of the media.

In a speech that set the pace for the conference, the Aga Khan reasoned that the dysfunctional relationship between media and governments has been advanced in the past by the slow growth of government and the shallowness of media, now that must be replaced by intellectual and more objective interaction.

Kibaki said: "At the end of the day, professionalism in the industry can only be achieved if the media stakeholders in general made it their issue to regulate the industry. Solutions must be found and the Government stands ready to negotiate.
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"We appeal for closer engagement and partnership with the media. The media is best positioned to promote awareness, discourse and a lively conversation with the broad range of stakeholders in our region. The media should, therefore, take deliberate interest in our regions integration agenda."

Kibaki evoked amusement when he acknowledged the role of social networking sites, increased access to mobile phones and the internet that resonates well with our young population. "However even those of us born before the computer age, appreciate the contribution of these new avenues of communication. Indeed, the advent of citizen journalism has become possible because of tools such as SMS, blogs, and social networking websites such as Face book, YouTube, Twitter and MySpace."

In attendance were the President of Rwanda Paul Kagame, former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa, Joacquim Chissano former President of Mozambique, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and the Prime Minister Raila Odinga.