The international Committee for the protection of journalists (CPJ) called on members of the lower house of the Kenyan Parliament to stop harassing journalists and allow them to write about the legislative Assembly without fear of reprisals.
On July 30, an article was published in the people Daily, which covered the facts of possible corruption in the National Assembly. After that, two journalists of the newspaper dine Ondari and Anthony Mwangi received threats that they will no longer be able to write about the Parliament. They were called the Committee on the powers and privileges, and Ken Basir, managing editor of the newspaper, reports The Star.
The publication claimed that members of Parliament accept and request bribes from organizations and individuals under investigation.
“If members of the Kenyan Parliament is serious about fighting corruption, attempts to intimidate journalists to keep quiet, must be stopped immediately,” said Motoki, Momo, CPJ representative in the countries of Africa South of the Sahara.
“We call on parliamentarians to stop trying to intimidate Dinah Ondari, Anthony Mwangi and their colleagues and instead allow them to freely do their job of covering the legislation,” she added.
On July 31, the Deputy of the Jubilee Alliance Robert Pukoes accused People Daily of” insulting ” the Parliament and said that the publication of the newspaper was an unconditional condemnation of the deputies. At the parliamentary readings, he asked speaker Justin Muturi to “take action” against People Daily and to investigate the newspaper’s actions by the parliamentary Committee in connection with its reports. Pukos ‘ appeals were supported by other MPs, including majority leader Aden Dueley and minority leader John Mbadi.
In response, Muturi instructed the Committee on powers and privileges to investigate these claims.
Muturi said that “until the Committee makes any recommendation,” the decision to ban journalists or the entire media will not be taken .
CPJ representatives said that they have a letter in which the clerk of the National Assembly 1 Aug invited Peter Opondo, chief editor of Mediamax, the parent company of People Daily to the next day to appear to help with “investigations” into allegations of misconduct in the house.
A team of five Mediamax employees, including Bosir and Mwangi, appeared before the Committee.
The editor said that they had been given 10 days to prepare a submission for the Committee on powers and privileges. Muturi said journalists would not need to disclose their sources during the hearings.
