Why Citizen TV May Not Cover Politicians in Church - Linus Kaikai

Royal Media Services (RMS) Editorial Director, Linus Kaikai, has promised to refrain from sending reporters to cover politicians in church ahead of the August 9 polls.

While addressing a clergy conference in Nairobi, Kaikai expressed his displeasure at media coverage of politicians in churches, arguing that politics was being given more prominence than the word of God.

He assured the clergy that he would stick to his word if the deacons also barred politicians from addressing congregants in churches. 

A File Image of Citizen TV Studios

Citizen Digital

"I want to ask the church to change this narrative. It is not a good trend for the country. When do we hear from the Bishop and the church?

"Nowadays, the media leaves immediately after a politician leaves," Kaikai stated. 

The editor revealed that he was pained each time he sent reporters to cover politicians, stating that many leaders were misusing the pulpit to spread lies.

"The church should be more assertive in claiming the conversation. If you don't, someone else will? Our politics is full of falsehoods and lies and if they go unchallenged and repeated, they become the truth.

"The media tries to do fact-checking. What is the church took that up?

Kaikai was appointed as the Editorial Director of RMS after the exit of Joe Ageyo who joined NTV.

Last week while addressing the same clergy conference, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i asked the church to educate voters on how to choose good leaders. He asked the church not to allow false narratives to be spread in the churches.

He stated that there was concern among security agencies that a good number of aspirants were engaged in illegal businesses. 

“If we are not careful as Kenyans, by the time we are done with this electoral cycle, we would’ve laundered criminals into our elective institutions– even up to about 40 percent. These include money launderers and drug dealers,” he stated.