Kiambu County Speaker Gathii Irungu has hailed the role played by the media in enhancing the devolution process.
He has thus asked journalists to be objective and impartial in the course of performing their duties.
Irungu made the appeal when he held a consultative forum with journalists drawn from various media houses operating within Kiambu County at Kiambu county assembly on Tuesday.
Appreciating the great role played by the media in the devolution process, Irungu encouraged journalists stationed in the county not to shy away from positively criticising his government, but at the same time cautioned them against malicious reporting.
“Members of the fourth estate should be allowed to play their watchdog role without due interference. You are at liberty to report anything about my government without any fear or intimidation as long as you are doing the same objectively,” said Irungu.
He expressed his fears over the brown envelope syndrome, which he blamed for not only entrenching a culture of biased reporting and tarnishing reputations of some of the famed media houses, but more seriously helping leaders and governments lose focus and direction.
“Personally I don’t subscribe to the school of thought which believes in buying the media. Since I took over office, I have never bribed the press for favourable coverage and I will never commit such a crime for the remainder of my period as the speaker of Kiambu county assembly,” vowed Irungu.
The speaker had disclosed that county assembly had finalised plans to have a full-fledged media centre that will soon be installed at the county assembly.
County Chief information officer, Lydia Shiroya emphasised the need for members of the press to professionally discharge their duties by upholding journalistic ethics.
Close to 30 journalists participated in the forum.