The government through the Information, Communication, and Technology CS Joe Mucheru has today launched a formal complaint on skewed reporting and defamation charges against the Nation Media Group (NMG).
According to the CS, Nation Media ignored basic ethics of journalism and specifically the Business Daily, by publishing a lead story on the alleged loss of taxpayers’ money estimated at Kshs. 5 billion in a scandal involving the NYS-style Afya House theft.
He further went on to criticize a story that was aired on the same day regarding the same story on NTV and was dubbed System ya majambazi. He said, “The new story characterized all government officers as thugs, a characterization based on an interim audit report whose accuracy has not been verified.”
According to the Business Daily, the story relied on a leaked internal audit report. A statement the CS responded to saying, “Interim audits are documents that raise queries for management to respond to or clarify and it is only after a final report is produced that one would quote such a document for reference purposes.”
In the complaint, the CS has accused the Nation Media Group of demonstrating bias and purposed intent at falsely accusing the government and all civil servants as being thugs while reporting about the government. He accused NTV of drawing conclusions that money had been stolen and that the system is corrupt through and through.
The complaint was launched in the presence of the chairman of the Media Council of Kenya (MCK), Charles Kerich, who said the proper channels will be followed in tackling the complaint launched by the government as per the law and that its independence will not be compromised considering the fact that it is funded by the government which is the complainant in the case.
Mucheru went ahead to demand that the Media Complaints Commission seriously takes action with appropriate consequences, for slanderous and false reporting contrary to its own editorial policy, professional ethics and the general rule of fair coverage.
He went further to state that the Business Daily and NTV be compelled to show where in the interim audit report it is stated that health ministry officials stole more than Kshs. 5.3 billion and that the publications table proof of theft by government officers as contained in their newspaper report.
He urged MCK to play its role as an arbiter and regulator as provided for by the law by ensuring that the media fraternity practices self-regulation and conducts itself responsibly if the sector has to earn the respect of all stakeholders.
The CS insisted that in as much as the media has its freedom, it should be exercised within the constitution. “We are fully committed to freedom of the press, however, it must be practiced responsibly. Media coverage must be done with strict regard to principles of professional practice, objectivity, and fairness,” said Mucheru.
