CORD MPs want journalists back to media centre

By Vitalis Kimutai

Nairobi, Kenya: Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) MPs want the former media centre at the National Assembly reinstated in public interest.

In what appeared to be a sudden change of heart on the matter, Deputy Minority Leader Jakoyo Midiwo and Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba who had earlier supported the move by the National Assembly to move journalists from Parliament, said they would push for the media to be allowed back to the centre, which was converted to a committee room.

Midiwo stated, “I want to tell the leadership of Parliament that it should not take us back to the dark ages and they should know that this is not somebody’s house.”

He claimed there were efforts to reverse the gains made in an expanded democratic space in Parliament during the tenure of former National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende, thus the ejection of the Press from the centre.

Namwamba said, “This is a classic case of intolerance by a government that does not respect the liberties of the people and the freedom of the media as provided for in the new Constitution.” But Midiwo had earlier said the decision was final.