Thousands of local journalists are said to have taken to the streets across Kenya on Tuesday as they protested the country's media bill, which they allege seeks to silence the press.

Chairman of the Kenya’s Editors Guild and Kenya Correspondents' Association, William Janak, said the protests were held in every county in the country.

He said that ‘more than 4,000 protesters’ hit the streets nationwide in places such as Mombasa, Kisumu as well in the capital, Nairobi. Reports, though, say that around 300 journalists protested in Nairobi.

The protesting journalists handed over a petition with their concerns to the president's office and parliament.

The Kenya Information and Communication Amendment bill proposes the creation of a government tribunal that can fine journalists and media companies if a tribunal finds them guilty of breaching a code of conduct.

As a result, protesting journalists were carrying banners with some reading: "Mr. President, you gagged us!"

The journalists say they do not need any government regulation since the media in the country has a self-regulatory body, which is the country’s media council.

"The media council is functional and highly professional, so I wonder what's the government fuss is all about," asked Philemon Ochieng, a freelance journalist based in Nairobi.

Several others concurred that the move to ‘impose’ a government media regulator is allegedly driven by the ambition to muzzle the press from reporting independently.

"This is satanic and evil if ever the president (Uhuru Kenyatta) will sign this draconian bill into law. We have a functional media council, so to hell with the government regulator,” Tabeth Adero, another journalist, said.

"We don't need an appointed government regulator, we want our freedom instead of being gagged," Tabeth Adero, a female journalist said.

The Kenya Information and Communications Amendment Bill (KICA) returned to parliament on Tuesday with presidential amendments after an October 31 version was vetoed by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Hopes of reform under a presidential veto were quashed last week after Kenyatta made small amendments to the original draft but ignored the majority of concerns raised by the media, said David Ohito, deputy director of the Editors' Guild.

"Passed the way it is, it will amount to state control. In the bill's current form, for instance, a government tribunal can fine journalists $5 500 and media companies around $230,000 if the tribunal finds them guilty of breaching a government dictated code of conduct.

"When you consider the average salary of a journalist is $300 per month, you can imagine how such a fine could affect reporting,” said Ohito.