Kenya Kwanza blogger Gordon Opiyo blasts CS Moses Kuria over media attack
Gordon Opiyo, a popular Kenya Kwanza allied blogger, went on the offensive against Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria following his insults and attack on journalists over the weekend.
In his June 19, 2023, statement, Mr Opiyo called out CS Kuria for getting personal in his attacks on the media based on reporting that did not paint him favorably.
“When the media is attacked, and people in power become personal, I will stand with the media. All my life, I have been involved with media, and I have deep attachment to the media. When you have a problem with false reporting, slanted coverage and obviously bias media like what we have right now, the way out is not getting personal. The way out is to give your side of the story, the way out is to call out the lies and present the truth…
Between 1998 and 2007, I was perhaps a leading name in investigative journalism. I exposed several mega scandals in the country and I personally know the high price individual journalists face. Your life can be messed up if the powerful people you expose get personal. In 2004, a powerful Kenyan I had exposed called me to the Serena, and as we took lunch, he plainly told me, “Gordon, this is your last meal on earth.” I thought he had poisoned me,” began Mr Opiyo.
He went on to reveal how journalist go through so much hell to get stories involving the powerful out in the public domain, get arrested but the general public did not care as expected.
“The problem is with the general public… when a journalist risks his life to give you the reasons you are paying high prices for cooking oil, you as the general public, say “Woiye, Sasa Ona vile wana iba (my goodness, see how they are stealing)” then you stop there. Do you think the journalist who brought you the story is getting it easy? You think it’s a joke? When Purity Mwambia brought you the story of the gun for hire, you said “Woiye, they are giving out guns” then you stopped there. Do you know that Purity is right now struggling in the US, unable to pay her Rent?” continued Mr Opiyo.
He added, “In the 80s, Kenyans rallied behind the media when Moi became oppressive. The Media is the only avenue you have to hold government to account. Yes the current top media houses have become irresponsible but threats are not the way out. Truth is the only way to deal with irresponsible media. For instance, you are here shouting that Moses Kuria is being irresponsible by threatening the media and yet you want to consume information for free.. You can’t even subscribe to (their) E-Paper and show solidarity with the media. If (the media house) had 5 million subscribers paying 40 Bob, or 30 Bob per day, do you think Moses Kuria would have any power over them when he threatens to withdraw adverts?
It is because of (people) like you (that) Moses Kuria can threaten the media. So, if you are attacking Moses Kuria, and you have not subscribed to (their) Epaper, you are the senji types I am talking about.. because you expect stories that expose corruption, but you are not ready to support the system that supports such stories. Meanwhile, the only way to counter any lies from the media is to present truth,” concluded Mr Opiyo.
A leading daily earlier exposed a corrupt cooking oil importation deal that saw tax payers lose Sh 9 billion. The deal involved a top Cabinet Secretary and two top government parastatals that bended the law to make this deal happen. In response, Moses Kuria called journalists from the publishing media house prostitutes, threatened to withdraw government advertisement but said he would allow them to continue advertising obituaries and auctioneers.
Also read: Kenya Union of Journalists blasts Moses Kuria over media remarks