Reports alleging that Nation Media Group (NMG) ended advertising contracts with four ministries are false and misleading.
In a statement, Nation Media Group debunked the reports, which attempted to undermine its credibility, insisting that the letter shared widely on various social media platforms was unauthentic.
The doctored letter claimed that Nation, in counter-attack, savoured ties with Cabinet Secretaries Davis Chirchir (Energy), Moses Kuria (Trade), Susan Nakhumicha (Health) and her Agriculture counterpart Mithika Linturi.
"This poster is false, misleading and does not represent Nation Media Group's position," the media house insisted, underlining that it was under attack for its unwavering commitment to holding the government accountable.
The misleading report also alleged that the media house agreed to dissociate with the four ministries in President William Ruto's administration to protect its brand after they were linked to scandals worth billions.
"Consequently, it has been decided that the company shall not do business with the following ministries and related institutions. This is after the said ministries and affiliated managers were mentioned in questionable contract deals," the misleading letter read in part.
However, Nation Media Group insisted that the information in the widely circulated fake letter did not represent its management position.
Before debunking reports of savouring ties with specific ministries, the media house had clashed with Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria, who threatened to cancel all advertisement tenders to shrink its revenue and sustainability.
NTV, a subsidiary of the Nation Media Group (NMG) linked the Ministry of Trade to a Ksh6 billion edible oil importation scandal.
However, while appearing before the Senate on Wednesday, June 21, Kuria dismissed the reports insisting that the tender was competitively awarded.
President William Ruto and his Deputy Rigathi Gachagua defended the CS from media backlash, insisting that the CS was out to hold the media accountable.
"We must defend the free media, their rights to criticise whatever they want and even to write falsehood. But we must also defend the people who hold the media to account,” Ruto stated after flagging off the Safari rally in Naivasha on Wednesday, June 21.
Other than the edible oil scandal, Nation Media also exposed the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), alleging that hospitals subscribed to the program were extorting patients unknowingly.
Health CS Nakhumicha responded by suspending all the facilities mentioned in the NTV expose. She also ordered to crack down on cartels in the health sector.
"We did not just suspend these facilities but also gave them 24 hours to vacate patients because I knew there would be an impact. So within the 24 hours, they ought to have vacated the patients to other hospitals," she stated.
In the Ministry of Agriculture, Nation alleged that farmers rejected subsidised fertiliser offered by President Ruto's administration.
