File image of Aaron Cheruiyot
Leader of the Majority in the Senate Aaron Cheruiyot has sparked a debate online after his recent remarks on the Kenyan media.
The Kericho Senator on Monday claimed that the Kenyan media and banks are powerful cartels that should be crushed.
“President William Ruto will succeed in crushing every cartel in the country save for two that are extremely powerful.Kenyan Banks and the Media. Both are very powerful, influential, and synergise so well to protect each other’s interest. For public good, a way must be found,” he tweeted.
In a separate tweet the President Ruto ally claimed that ethical media practice in Kenya should be restored.
“So powerful are the cartels in our media houses, that when I called them out today ntv kenya dedicated over 10 mins of prime time twisting on it.That’s how they buy their freedom & silence critics. Ethical media practice died in Kenya and we must fight to restore it,” he added.
The ODM party has come out to defend the media noting that its must be protected from the government.
“Freedom of the Media must be protected. All the three Estates i.e. the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary have been captured by one Estate. The Fourth Estate seems to be the people’s only hope and source of information. It must be guarded from the sharks,” ODM stated.
Kenya Correspondents Association (KCA) Chairperson William Oloo Janak has termed the UDA senator’s remarks as an assault on media freedom.
“It’s unacceptable for a member of parliament who legislates laws to talk about the media being a cartel,” he said.
Adding, “We will work very hard and mobilise the entire media fraternity to defend media freedom and Article 34 of the Constitution.”
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