House summons Fred Matiang'i yet again over digital migration row

Kenya: Cabinet Secretary for Information and Communication Fred Matiang'i has been called before parliamentary bosses to explain the fiasco that led to the shutting down of four major television stations.

Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi said Dr Matiang'i had been asked to appear at a high-level meeting to be held at the weekend to explain the status of digital migration and what he was doing to ensure the four stations went back on air.

The meeting with the Speaker, his deputy, the majority and minority leaders, party leaders and chairpersons of House committees will be the third that Matiang'i's docket will have with elected representatives to discuss digital migration.

Mr Muturi told the House yesterday that Matiang'i would be expected to address "possibilities for all-inclusive alternatives", a signal that MPs want the four TV stations – KTN, Citizen TV, NTV and QTV – back on air.

The CS has already met the House Committee on Energy and Communication to explain why his officers raided the transmitters of the four stations and carted away broadcast equipment.

He also had to explain why the Government had refused to issue a licence for digital signal distribution to the African Digital Network. His officers have also met a Senate committee over the digital migration crisis.

"I do hope that all chairpersons of committees and other leaders will find time to attend this important retreat so as to have a structured engagement as we collectively forge ahead in fulfilling our constitutional mandate," said Muturi.

In the House, the Speaker refused to allow a debate on digital migration. He told Muthomi Njuki (Chuka-Igambang'ombe, APK), who had asked for an emergency hearing on the TV shut-down fiasco, that the issue was before a committee that had to present a report in the House.

The issue of digital migration is a late addition to the agenda after reports filtered through that the retreat was mainly meant to discuss corruption issues in the House.

Muturi also made an oblique reference to the administrative quagmire in the House as one of the items to be discussed at the retreat scheduled for Friday and Saturday.

LOWERED DIGNITY

"The retreat will provide an early opportunity for the leadership to discuss decorum and the general conduct of business of the House and its committees," said Muturi.

Yesterday, during the debate on the Public Procurement and Assets Disposal Bill 2014, some MPs noted the return of grand corruption in procurement as one of the issues that had crept into House committees and lowered their dignity.

"There's fear that departmental committees are not able to submit their reports in good time because big-time corruption has crept in and it is getting deeper into the bone marrow of the so-called chairmen of committees," said James Oyoo (Muhoroni, PDP).

At the moment, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), an Opposition-led watchdog committee, is embroiled in a leadership crisis amid claims of bribery and corruption.

PAC members are accusing their chairman, Ababu Namwamba, of bribery, assigning himself too many foreign trips and failing to delegate duties.