On Friday, June 23, 2023, Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria filed a lawsuit at the High Court to restrain media houses from publishing and broadcasting inaccurate and malicious reports about him.
In the petition, Kuria claimed that a section of media houses was out to malign his name and damage his reputation.
He added that recent media reports featuring him caused serious business drawbacks for the country, hampering crucial deals with international trade partners.
The lawsuit was filed against all media houses, including the Nation Media Group, which he accused of publishing a controversial article on his ministry.
The court is yet to set a date to listen to his prayers. However, the case is a significant development in the ongoing debate about media freedom and the right to privacy in Kenya.
Kuria's lawsuit comes against the backdrop of another litigation in which the High Court on Wednesday, June 21, bared him from attacking the media.
Justice Lawrence Mugambi gave the order pending the determination of the suit filed by human rights defender Charles Mugane.
Kuria had threatened to publish the names of Nation Media Group writers who he alleged to have been coerced to write anti-government stories. He also vowed to dismiss state officials found advertising with the media house.
Responding to Kuria's previous threats to the media, Nation Media Group accused him of making inflammatory and divisive statements.
The Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) and the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) also condemned the CS.
"The attacks on the media are a serious threat to democracy in Kenya. The media is vital in holding the government accountable and providing public information.
"The government's crackdown on the media is an attempt to silence dissent and to control the flow of information," KUJ stated.
