Media Unions Join Forces Against CS Kuria, Demands Assurance From Ruto

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Monday, June 19, 2023 –The Kenya Union of Journalists KUJ and the Kenya Editors’ Guild KEG have responded to Trade and Industrialisation Cabinet Secretary CS Moses Kuriaover his outburst on the media.

This is after the CS made demeaning remarks that bordered on threatening the freedom in local media industry in the country.

In both verbal and written attack on his Twitter, the CS, on Sunday June 18, claimed that The Nation Media Group had seemingly became part of the opposition; same sentiments that have for long been shared by deputy president Rigathi Gachagua.

CS Kuria who was not happy with the detailed expose’ on multi-million oil scandal allegedly orchestrated in his ministry, fired that, he will take action against any government department advertising with the said media house.

But, on Monday June 19, KUJ in a statement signed by Secretary-General Eric Oduor, said Kuria was “becoming a symbol of national shame” and condemned his reactions to media reports as an embarrassment to Kenyans.

“We would wish to remind Mr Kuria that he is now a Cabinet Secretary whose actions and utterances should promote a positive image of Kenya as a nation. In line with tenets of leadership and integrity law. His reactions to media reports regarding one of the many scandals that have hit Kenya Kwanza administration within a span of 10 months are not only an embarrassment to Kenyans, but a confirmation that his stomach is full and can belch and eventually vomit on the shoes of hungry Kenyans with impunity.

“While we support the ongoing initiatives by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to deal with the impact of rampant consumption of alcohol in the country, it is our opinion that for this war to bear fruit, he should cast the net wider to rid the county of leaders who are not in control of their faculties. I can assure Mr Kuria that the media will outlive his political career and will be waiting with glee to write his political obituary,” added the statement.

On a a similar note, the Kenya Editors’ Guild KEG in a statement signed by Guild President Zubeida Kananu castigated Kuria’s remarks as totally off the mark.

“If a State Officer or any Kenyan for that matter, is aggrieved by the work of the media, they have an array of avenues to raise them, including pursuing the legal route or reaching out to the media entity concerned,” said the guild in a statement on Monday as seen by Homenews.co.ke.

It added that it was out of order for some State officials to go out in public spaces to lambast and reduce the important work the media does to many suffering Kenyans who have no space to be heard.

KEG, therefore, demanded an unconditional apology from the trade minister and assurance from President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza administration that the sentiments expressed by Kuria do not represent the policy of the regime.

Furthermore, the media asked President Ruto to assure them that there will be space for freedom of the media.