Media Council Sends Message to Journalists Amid Heightened Political Temperatures Over Gachagua's Impeachment

Journalists during a media briefing at KICC on July 18, 2024.
Journalists during a media briefing at KICC on July 18, 2024.
Photo
Isaac Mwaura

The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has called upon media practitioners to exercise caution while reporting on matters revolving around the impeachment against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

Speaking during an event in Meru county, MCK Manager for Central and Eastern Region Jackson Karanja urged journalists to adhere to the Code of Conduct and refrain from propagating any misinformation.

According to MCK, the country is currently witnessing heightened political temperatures over the ongoing impeachment hence the need to exercise more caution.

Karanja challenged journalists, editors, and station managers to always ensure that the information being relayed on the different media platforms is factual and meets the professional threshold.

mck
Meru County, MCK Manager Central and Eastern Region Jackson Karanja addressing the media, October 16, 2024.
Photo
File

"Verification of information is a very key component to where Media is today, so our call on journalists and the media at large is to ensure that the information being relayed is fact-checked to ensure accuracy and reliability," he said.

The call comes at a time when the impeachment proceedings dominated the headlines on Wednesday, 16 October, with nearly all if not all media houses in Kenya both print and digital focusing on the impeachment.

The role of the media is very crucial in such political matters as the masses rely on the media to give reliable information, communicate promptly, and give authentic information.

On Wednesday, the Senate kicked off the hearing against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua who is facing 11 charges including; misuse of office, insubordination and amassing wealth unlawfully.

The hearing is expected to pour into Thursday when Senators will vote on whether to kick out the deputy president or not.

Earlier in the day, the High Court rejected an application by the deputy president's legal team to issue orders stopping the Senate hearing dealing a major blow to the country's second in command.

The Senate now holds the key on whether to kick out Gachagua or not.

Gachagua, nonetheless can appeal at the courts if the house does end up impeaching him. On Sunday, the deputy president expressed his confidence in the Judiciary, veering away from his initial criticism of the arm of government.

"Our Judiciary is very professional and I have no doubt that our eminent judges will protect and uphold the constitution and always make sure that the will of the people is sovereign," Gachagua said during a church service in Embu on Sunday, 13 October.

 

MCK CEO David Omwoyo.
MCK CEO David Omwoyo.
Photo
MCK