A story the Mediamax limited-owned newspaper run on September 4 has angered president William Ruto administration.
The story headlined “How Ruto lies killed Nithi 12” has prompted the government through the Ministry of Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy report the newspaper to the Media Council of Kenya (MCK).
The story was about the grisly accident at Nithi bridge along the Meru-Embu highway on August 31 night.
The newspaper thrashed Ruto for making empty promises regarding the black spot bridge but failed to honour it.
The paper thus partially blamed him for the tragedy.
Broadcasting and Telecommunications Principal Secretary Edward Kisiang’ani asked the MCK to restrain the publication and its writers from publishing similarly contemptuous articles about the presidency, or other government offices.
“This office seeks your intervention to institute any further action against the publishers of this article, in line with the existing laws and regulations that may serve as a deterrent measure against future similar journalistic misbehaviours.” Kisiangani’s complaint to MCK read.
The People daily team argued that the decision to report it to MCK was because of bold coverage on the Kenya Kwanza administration.
They said the government’s move as an attempt to not only intimidate journalists at the publication for fact-checking the President but a threat to media freedom.
