Martha Karua now questions MCK’s credibility over raid on Matiang’i’s home
Narc Kenya party leader Martha Karua is now questioning the credibility of the Media Council of Kenya (MCK).
The seasoned politician has suggested that the council is a surrogate of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
“Is the media council a surrogate of @DCI_Kenya,” Karua tweeted.
Ms Karua’s sentiment came a few days after the MCK issued a press statement asking several media houses in the country to provide proof of the alleged raid on the home of former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i on February 8, 2023.
Also read: Show us proof of raid on Matiangi’s home, MCK now tells media houses
In a press statement issued on February 11, 2023, and signed by the council’s Chief Executive Officer, David Omwoyo, said the council wrote to the media houses in question about the same.
“While carrying our monitoring function on the evening of February 8, 2023, the MCK came across your station’s coverage of the police raid. We request you to provide the council with actual footage collected by your crew at the scene and the identity of the editors/reports who were sent there,” the press release quoted MCK’s letter to Nation Media Group, Royal Media Services and the Standard Group.
The council further pointed out that the non-availability of photographs or videos taken from the alleged raid presents a serious moral and ethical dilemma for the media.
Also read: Police raid Matiang’i’s Karen home
“The council is concerned by the refusal by the media to provide actual footage or photos from such a highly-publicized event yet they were at the scene,” MCK said, adding that merely providing statements by lawyers allied to Dr Matiang’i and denials by the government is creating confusion over the matter.
Reports of the alleged raid broke out after 9 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2023. However, the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Mohamed Amin, and the Inspector General of Police, Japhet Koome have since said no such raid occurred while accusing Matiang’i of stage-managing the whole thing.
On February 15, 2023, it was again reported that the police raided the home of the former CS.
Also read: MCK condemns attempted abduction of Nyamira journalist