Renowned socio-political commentator cum columnist Patrick Gathara has weighed in on the consistent and sustained attacks that a section of Kenyan media outlets have been subjected to by politicians.
In a tweet that was accompanied by a tweet by Garissa Township MP Aden Duale attacking the Daily Nation, Gathara urged the Kenyan media to make a point of defending themselves from the blistering attacks from the politicians.
The Garissa Township legislator, who also doubles up as a leader of the majority in the National Assembly, had attacked the Daily Nation over a story that claimed that the deputy president refused to meet with the Mariga campaign team after the former Harambee Stars forward lost to ODM's Imran Okoth.
"Gutter and desperate journalism. Fiction and cooked nonsense passed as a news story using imaginary sources. Too much obsession with DP @WilliamsRuto. Ruto and his team are one and solid, " Aden Duale had tweeted.
Gathara wondered whether the Daily Nation was taking seriously the sustained attacks on its credibility and whether it would stand by its story on DP Ruto.
"KE media should make a habit of responding to the aspersions cast by politicians on its reporting. Does @dailynation, for example, stand by its story? It should take such attacks on its credibility seriously, " Patrick Gathara wrote.
DP Ruto and his allies have made a habit of calling out the local dailies in the event of a headline that they consider to be 'fake news'.