Jubilee blames Cord for media woes in Parliament

By Vitalis Kimutai

Nairobi, Kenya: Leader of Majority in the National Assembly Aden Duale has said the removal of journalists from the media centre in the National Assembly was an initiative by Cord leaders.

Duale said deputy Leader of the Minority Jakoyo Midiwo moved the agenda to relocate the journalists from the centre to the press gallery in the Chamber.

“There are records in House Business Committee (HBC) clearly indicating Cord leadership pushed for the agenda to confine journalists to the Press Gallery, and those records are available for public perusal,” Mr Duale said.

He said that for Mr Midiwo to turn around and claim it was the Jubilee side under National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi who were behind the move is hypocritical but a lie.

“We expected last Tuesday that Midiwo would claim during the HBC that he had been quoted out of context over the claims but he kept quiet. It is clear to us that this is an agenda to draw a wedge between the media and the Jubilee coalition for selfish political gains,” Mr Duale said.

The Garissa Town MP said Parliament is in the process of creating another media centre for the journalists to operate from in the spirit of transparency and accountability.

Muturi last month said journalists would continue covering parliamentary debates from the Gress Gallery.

Clerk Justin Bundi and officials from the Sergeant-at-Arms’ office ordered journalists to vacate the premises to create room for MPs and directed that five computers, being utilised by journalists be removed.