Raila Odinga slams State for ‘harrassing’ KTN reporters

By Standard Reporters

Kenya: Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga castigated the government for muzzling the media over coverage of the Westgate Mall attack, noting the country has a long history of fighting for press freedom, which should be jealously guarded.

“We stood together in solidarity when the nation was under attack. As the dust settles, we must ask the question, who did not do his job? We must not vilify the media when they ask these hard questions,” added the former premier.

He said that a security operation should not blind the nation from the sacred freedoms of the media as enshrined in the supreme law.

“The most sacred of our freedoms is that of speech. We must jealously guard our hard-earned freedom of speech!” The CORD leader condemned the military for alleged looting of the mall during the security operation.  “The argument that they were carrying water is unfortunate. You want to tell me that there was no water in the military for them to resort to Nakumatt. Our forces were supposed to protect the property that was under attack.”

He was speaking at JKIA on Sunday night upon arrival from the US from a two-week trip together with six governors. Governors Ali Hassan Joho of Mombasa, Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega), Nathif Jama (Garissa), Ahmed Abdullahi (Wajir), Ukur Yatani (Marsabit) and Josephat Nanok (Turkana) were in the US to meet prospective investors.

Defending the media also was former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo. He led other leaders from Western region in voicing support for the media over its coverage of the Westgate Mall siege.

Security forces

Speaking in Bungoma County accompanied by former House Speaker Kenneth Marende, among others, he told the government to stop harassing KTN investigative reporters Mohammed Ali and John Allan Namu over the Westgate Mall expose.

He commended the two journalists for their investigative pieces adding that they were simply doing their job by exposing what the government didn’t want Kenyans and the international community to know.

In Busia, MPs John Bunyasi (Nambale), Geoffrey Odanga (Matayos) and Kenyatta University don Tom Namwamba asked Inspector General of Police David Kimayo to stop intimidating journalists. The leaders said it is unacceptable for the IG to summon reporters because of the way they covered the siege at Westgate Mall.

Bunyasi said Kenyans needed to know the truth regarding the conduct of security forces. “Kimaiyo should know that the freedom of press is enshrined in the Constitution,” said Bunyasi.

– Reports by Geoffrey Mosuku, Robert Wanyonyi and Renson Buluma.