The Ministry of Defense has strongly refuted claims published by Nation Media Group (NMG) that former Prime Minister Raila Odinga played a role in preventing a military coup against President William Ruto.
In its Sunday publications, Sunday Nation ran a story titled “Raila: I Saved Ruto from Military Coup,” while Taifa Jumapili carried a similar headline, “Nilivyozima Mapinduzi Dhidi ya Ruto”. The articles, citing unnamed sources, alleged that Raila, in an exclusive interview, claimed he had stopped a coup attempt against President Ruto.
In a statement released on Monday, the Ministry of Defense dismissed the reports as false, misleading, and irresponsible.
“The Ministry categorically states that the claims in the newspaper articles are false, baseless, unfounded, misleading, and indeed reckless,” the statement read.
The Ministry further emphasized that the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) is a professional and apolitical institution committed to discipline, integrity, and national service.
It reiterated that the military remains loyal to the Commander-in-Chief and is dedicated to protecting the country without political influence.
The statement also criticized NMG for publishing unverified information from undisclosed sources, calling it irresponsible and unpatriotic.
The Ministry urged the media house to adhere to ethical journalism by ensuring accuracy, fairness, and responsibility in its reporting, particularly on sensitive matters like national security.
The claims come amid growing political cooperation between President Ruto and Raila Odinga.
Following last year’s Gen Z-led protests that saw demonstrators storm Parliament, the government deployed the military to restore order.
Raila later backed the government’s move to implement the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report, which has paved the way for political stability.
Recently, Raila and Ruto signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) to work together.
The president has since emphasized national unity, calling for an inclusive government in his recent development tours.
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