Kenya Kwanza politicians sustained their attack on Nation Media Group, with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua being among the latest leaders accusing the mainstream media of biased coverage.
Gachagua, on Monday, June 19, callously criticised an article which analysed President William Ruto's expenditures on foreign trips.
In what appears to be a coordinated attack, Gachagua, while addressing European Union delegates at State House, Nairobi, claimed that Nation Media was hell-bent on undermining the President's achievements and damaging his reputation.
He also claimed that the media was subtly inciting the public against President William Ruto by allegedly publishing false and misleading articles.
"Today, I woke up to a new headline claiming that you had spent three times more than the former administration on foreign trips alone.
"However, they failed to explain to the public the achievements seen from the trips, including this trade deal which we are signing right now," Gachagua claimed.
He thus urged the media to deviate from what he argued was selective coverage and conduct in-depth research in its watchdog and gatekeeping roles.
"If only they conducted some research, the media would conclude that all successful administrations must make bold steps to reach out to partners.
"They are not honest enough to review the activities that you undertook during that period, because, the cost responds to the level of activities undertaken," Gachagua defended Ruto.
The foreign trips, he argued, were instrumental in ensuring President William Ruto secures his legacy, and the media ought to inform the public on milestones made rather than pushing out an incoherent narrative.
"He (Ruto) found the economy in a quagmire, and he had to do everything possible, including working with partners to reboot it for the betterment of the country," Gachagua claimed.
In the report published on Sunday, June 18, the Daily Nation alleged that President Ruto's administration had ballooned spending on travel, hospitality and vehicles despite hard economic times.
According to the article, the Kenya Kwanza administration splashed Ksh14 billion on travel, Ksh6 billion on hospitality and Ksh3.3 billion on fuel and maintenance of vehicles, which was Ksh1.6 billion more than the Ksh12.4 billion spent in 2022.
Trade CS, Moses Kuria, had also criticised Nation Media for publishing an article which claimed that Ksh6 billion in oil funds were embezzled through flawed tenders issued by the Trade and Agriculture ministries.
Kuria, on Sunday, June 18, threatened to dismiss state officials advertising with Nation Media Group in what was perceived as a punitive countermeasure unveiled against the mainstream media house.
“You need to decide if you are a newspaper, broadcasting house, a media station or an opposition party,” Kuria ranted while addressing attendees at the Akorino Annual Convention held in Embu County.
