Water and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome was among senior government officials who defied calls by Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria to avoid placing advertisements in the Daily Nation newspaper.
A total of twelve government departments and agencies placed their adverts in the latest edition of the paper.
The most notable advertisements were placed by the Ministries of Education headed by Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu and his Water counterpart, Alice Wahome.
The Ministry of Water through the Water Services Regulatory Board (WSRB) placed two coloured full-page (33cm x 6cm) adverts costing Ksh623,000 each.
The two advertisements placed by the Ministry of Water cost the government Ksh1,246,000 minus a 16 per cent Value-added Tax, charged on each of them.
Five public schools, which fall under the Ministry of Education, also placed advertisements in the newspaper.
Kirima Boys High School placed a black and white (9.7cm x 2col) advert that cost the institution Ksh24,500 minus VAT tax on the service.
Similarly, Lugulu Girls High School and Bishop Gatimu Girls High School each bought a single black and white (6.3cm x 2col) spot that costs around Ksh18,000 minus VAT.
Sing'ore Girls High School, which was advertising tenders, also placed an eight (12.6cm x 2col) advert at a cost of Ksh35,500.
At the same time, the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) placed a black and white (12.6cm x 2col) advert at a cost of Ksh35,000.
County Governments also placed two major advertisements in the widely circulated newspaper.
The County Government of Kakamega placed a 9.7cm x 2col coloured advert at a cost of Ksh36,000 while Nandi County bought a 17.5cm x 2col space at Ksh50,500.
EACC Stance
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) on Monday, June 19, cleared procurement officers in the government to advertise with Nation Media Group (NMG) outlets, noting Kuria's remarks were socially unacceptable.
“The Constitution in Article 227 requires that public procurement be carried out in a fair, equitable, transparent, competitive and cost-effective system.
“Consequently, no person or organisation can, lawfully, be denied an opportunity to participate in any public procurement except as may be authorised under the law,” EACC noted in a strong-worded statement.
EACC warned CS Kuria against victimising corporations, especially the media, merely for doing its work of informing the public.
"EACC, therefore, advises all state and public officers to strictly adhere to the laws governing the management of public affairs including the requirements of Chapter Six of the Constitution and the Leadership and Integrity Act, 2012," it cautioned.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, on Monday, June 19, concurred with Kuria's assertion that the media was biased against President Ruto's government.
Gachagua, however, disowned threats issued by the Trade Cabinet Secretary against Nation Media Group.
Speaking during the Kenya Water and Sanitation International Conference and Exhibition in Mombasa, Gachagua claimed that their administration was not a dictatorship.
“I do not agree with his suggestion that we stop advertising with you. We should not because we are a democracy, and we should be able to allow you to continue doing your job. Ours is to call you out,” Gachagua remarked, adding that Kuria went overboard.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Principal Secretary Kello Harsama expressed his support for calls to boycott Nation Media Group (NMG) products.
The PS claimed that Nation Media Group had gone rogue, and left its core mandate of informing members of the public and started engaging in political theatrics.
