The government and senior government operatives led by Trade, Industry and Investments Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria have been castigated for blatant attempt to muzzle the media through unwarranted barrage of attacks targeted to the Fourth Estate.
The lobby groups now want media freedom be respected and the press allowed to discharge their duties without undue interference from the powers that be.
Speaking earlier today, the Kenya Media Sector Working Group (KMSWG) has said it is perturbed by what they term sustained attacks on media from the Kenya Kwanza administration.
They affirmed that the freedom of expression is a fundamental freedom enshrined in the constitution.
“We are dismayed that since the Kenya Kwanza administration came to office ten months ago, it has directed sustained attacks on the media. The most recent attacks have been triggered by an exposé of corruption in government and other stories projecting voices demanding accountability on the part of the government.” The group said in a statement.
They said media has a sacred responsibility to the people of Kenya, and so will continue to report on public issues and project the different voices in society as well as speak truth to power without fear.
“We read the consistent attacks on the media as attempts to divert public attention from widespread theft of public funds and other governance challenges facing the new administration. We urge the government to stop targeting and intimidating the media which is only discharging its responsibility to the public. Instead, the government should respond to concerns by Kenyans on the scandals exposed by the media in the past ten months.” They said.
The group cited a number of corruption scandals that need to be interrogated including diversion of condemned sugar into the market, repackaging and sale of subsidized fertilizer, poor management of NHIF and the mosquito nets saga at Kemsa.
They also raised questions over favoritism in the duty-free commodity imports including edible oils, maize and rice, and the use of advertising revenue as a tool to blackmail the media.
