Be responsible, President Uhuru tells media, denies gagging bid

By PETERSON GITHAIGA

President Uhuru Kenyatta will lead a government team in a meeting with media representatives and other stakeholders this week to resolve the standoff over the media Bill.

Majority leader Aden Duale told a gathering at the homecoming of Kajiado Women Representative Peris Tobiko at Mashuru, Kajiado County, that the meeting will decide the way forward.

Speaking at the event Uhuru criticised the media for blaming him for what is contained the Bill.

He said he will look at what is in the Bill when it lands on his table and look at whatever amendments that can be made.

“I want the media to know that freedom comes with responsibility because the two go hand in hand,” Uhuru said.

The president told Kenyans to be patient because Parliament has done its work and it was now his duty to go through the Bill and make any desired changes.

“I’m not interested in gagging the media,” said Uhuru.

Earlier, Duale hit out at opposition MPs who are blaming the government over the Bill and reminded them that they were in the last Parliament when it was first tabled.

“They are shouting the loudest when they were part of the architects of the Bill. That is the highest level of dishonesty,” said Duale.

He said the government was aware that section 34 of the Constitution protects all media freedoms and that will have to be adhered to.

He said media was a major investor in the country and it was not their intention to destroy it. All they want was for journalists to be responsible.

He also accused top opposition leaders, saying majority of their MPs were in Parliament when it was passed and called on politicians not to politicise the issue.

“We have no intentions to take Kenya back to the dark days,” said Duale.

Kajiado Central MP Joseph Nkaiserry (Cord) cautioned against the planned muzzling of the media in Kenya.

He requested the president to go through the media Bill thoroughly and look at where it hurts either side, before returning it for amendment.

Uhuru also talked about the ongoing case at the International Criminal Court. In a thinly veiled response  to Cord’s MPs decision to support the trials at ICC,  the President said some people do not have Kenya’s best interests at heart.

“If they really love this country, they should not harm it,” he said.

He said the case is fading out and they are praying it ends quickly.

Kajiado Senator Peter ole Mositet and 15 MPs, among them Mary Wamboi, Ziporrah Kittony, Joseph Manje (Kajiado North), Kajiado, and Kajidio West MP Moses ole Sakuda, were present.