NASA leader Raila Odinga.[Photo/standard]
The Kenya Editors Guild has condemned shutdown threats by the government over the January 30 controversial swearing in by Raila Odinga.
In a statement by the chairman of the Kenya Editors Guild, Linus Kaikai, the editors took issue with the summoning of media managers from the main media houses to State House, Nairobi last week where alleged threats of shutting down media houses if they cover the NASA event were issued.
“We have just learnt today that on Friday last week, a section of media managers and select editors from the main media houses were quietly summoned to a meeting at the State House, Nairobi,” says Mr. Kaikai.
“The brief meeting attended by President Uhuru Kenyatta, Deputy President William Ruto, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi, ICT Secretary Joe Mucheru and AG Githu Muigai did not bode well for the freedom of expression and press in the country.
”It is believed that the government is against live airing of the event scheduled to be at Uhuru Park, Nairobi on Tuesday, January 30.Saying that the media is not biased in its coverage, Mr. Kaikai protested the “dressing down” the media executives received at the State House meeting.