Journalists: MPs threaten to kick out scribes from Parliament
MPs yesterday threatened to kick out parliamentary journalists over what they termed as continuous negative coverage of their proceedings.
The legislators criticised journalists for their continued “malicious and inaccurate” reporting, including exposing them as greedy and always pushing for allowances.
This followed media reports that at least 85 MPs had travelled for a legislative summit in the United States where they will draw millions of shillings in allowances.
The matter came before the House after Dagorreti North MP Simba Arati sought the Speaker’s attention on whether the coverage of lawmakers in the local dailies was accurate.
“Mr Speaker, please clarify whether what we are reading in the papers is true, because when I look around I see a full chamber,” he said.
MPs Samuel Atandi (Alego Usonga), Jeremiah Kioni (Ndaragwa), Raphael Wanjala (Budalangi), Ahmed Kolosh (Wajir West) and Robert Pukose (Endebese) called for the ejection of reporters from Parliament.
The legislators said the House should consider closing down the Media Centre used by parliamentary reporters.
Last option
However, Deputy Speaker Moses Cheboi said barring journalists from covering parliamentary proceedings would be the last option for the House. He added that Parliament has a symbiotic relationship with the media which ought to be respected.
ODM leader Raila Odinga, in a statement, told off the legislators, saying the issue of the large delegation sent to the conference is in the public domain. He said many people want action to be taken against those on the trip, and told the lawmakers to stop living large at the expense of tax payers.
