Nairobi — Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has bashed the media claiming they didn't broadcast the heroic speech his boss William Ruto gave in Paris France despite the applause during the global address.
On June 23, President Ruto received cheers, claps, and admiration while addressing thousands of youth on Climate Change and Financing.
In the 5-minute speech, the Head of State made, the young scholars clapped and cheered expressing their delight.
Despite Gachagua's assertions, a review by Capital FM shows section of media houses including television, radio, and print broadcasted the President's address in Paris.
"The press people will not broadcast that but at least we have the social media which we can follow everything. Even if you don't write, we will follow. We can encourage you (Ruto) to continue representing the continent," Gachagua said.
Gachagua took a swipe at the media alleging that they have focused on the Opposition Coalition agenda shunning coverage from the development delivery by the Kenya Kwanza government.
"Those demonstrations of destroying people's property they broadcast live but they don't show development focus," he said.
Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruyoit faulted the media for focusing on negative news from the Kenya Kwanza Administration urging a spotlight on the progress made by the ruling coalition.
"They should not propagate propaganda, I have seen you talk in foreign countries even the white people understand and know this country has a good leader but when you come to Kenya our media has choosen to be petty," said Cheruyoit.
"They look into small things and always focus on your wrongs.Lets report also on the good things that happen in our country. It can't always be on negative news," he added.
When he took to the podium, President William Ruto stated that the government will not gag the Media insisting they will defend their freedom and rights as envisaged in the law even when they step on his administration's toes.
"We believe in the freedom of the media to write whatever they want. Even if we don't agree with whatever they write, we will defended their right to say it and to write it," said Ruto.
The Head of State reiterated that equally those bashing the media should not be muzzled including those in his government as the freedom of expression is granted to all.
"That right extends to everybody even the things the media don't want said. Those who are saying it have a right to say whatever they are saying. Let this right be for everybody. As long as we do it in peace without violence," Ruto said.
Kuria's insult
This comes hours after Trade and Industrialization Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria yet again insulted the media blatantly ignoring a high court order that gagged him against using slanderous phrases.
During a food distribution event in Muranga, he referred to the media as prostitutes saying he will not be cowed from giving them a taste of their own medicine.
"I said recently an arrow in the night...these prostitutes from the media, how they come at me is how I will respond to them. The way they feel hurt when I call them that, is the same way we are hurt when they wrongly accuse us...and they should give us time to work, they were with the previous government for 10 years," he said.
The High Court issued an injunction forbidding Kuria from using disrespectful or slanderous phrases toward any media outlet.
Justice Lawrence Mugambi sitting at the Milimani Law Courts issued the orders on Wednesday in an application filed by one Charles Mugane, a human rights defender and advocate of the High Court.
Justice Mugambi asserted that pending the determination of the suit, Kuria is restrained "from uttering or expressing any belittling, condescending, disdainful words against any Media Practitioner by the meaning of Article 34 of the constitution howsoever and whatsoever."
The judge ordered that the CS and the Attorney General be served within three days, and that they respond within seven days with the matter slated for mention on July 24.
The petition followed a public statement during an event in Embu on June 18 Kuria termed NMG "an opposition party".
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He made a roadside declaration ostensibly directing government agencies to stop advertising with the media house.
The CS threatened to sack any state official who places government ads on Nation platforms.
I want to tell Nation Media, you need to choose whether you are a newspaper, broadcasting house or an opposition party."
The CS appeared to be reacting to an exposé published by NMG over the weekend detailing an alleged oil scandal under his ministry.
The refused to retract his comments dismissing calls for by media sector associations.
"I am not apologizing; I have been a media owner before. I have been a writer in your newspapers and all that before," he said on Wednesday.
"There is nobody who is pro-media more than me, but I know the difference between media and what Thomas Baldwin called the prerogative of the harlot; 'the exercise of power without responsibility'."
