Royal Media Services Supported Us in 2022 Elections - Kalonzo Claims

Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka has accused the government of running machinations to curtail media freedom.

Speaking during a presser on Sunday, March 31, in Diani, the former vice president said the new model of advertising by the government was discriminatory with the aim of getting at some of the media houses perceived to be anti-government.

Kalonzo alleged that Royal Media Services (RMS) was among the media houses targeted by the state in the said move.

"We have seen paid advertisements with which media owners make money. Allow me to say for example, Royal Media was in the Azimio La Umoja. They did not fear, and they had the right to express themselves. But they are now being mistreated and being denied advertisements," he said.

According to Kalonzo, the mode of allocating advertisements was not commensurate with merit and popularity among Kenyans.

He invited media practitioners to the streets to protest against the supposed violation of their rights and freedoms by the state.

The government restricted all of its advertisements on print media to the state-owned MyGov publication.

The public sector advertisements would be printed and distributed by Convergence Media (under the Radio Africa Group-owned The Star newspaper).

Meanwhile, Kalonzo Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka hinted at the return of nationwide anti-government protests after the High Court in Kiambu suspended the implementation of the National Dialogue Committee report.

He claimed that there is a scheme to go against what was agreed during the NADCO negotiations at the Bomas of Kenya.

He alleged that the court orders stopping the implementation of the report were sponsored by the Kenya Kwanza government.

"We have received news that they have moved to court to stop the NADCO report we handed over to Raila and Ruto. They now want to go against the agreements we all agreed upon at the Bomas of Kenya. We say that interference is utterly diabolical. The problem we have is the deceitful politics in Kenya, I want to warn them that we can still resort to protests. You cannot deceive Kenyans all the time,” Kalonzo warned.

The former Vice President in a statement via his social media pages claimed that the Kenya Kwanza side never had goodwill during the bipartisan talks.

“The Kenya Kwanza regime has never had goodwill and faith and this is the problem in Kenya; the politics of lies all the time. This State Sponsored court action must stop,” Kalonzo stated.

The High Court on Thursday suspended the implementation of the NADCO report pending the hearing and determination of a suit filed by activist Michael Muchemi.

The activist argued that the implementation of the report and giving the parliament authority to process the content of the report would plunge the country into a constitutional crisis.