Trade and Investment Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has threatened to sack government officials who advertise with the Nation Media Group (NMG).
On Sunday, the firebrand minister told the media house to declare if it is a broadcaster or the official opposition.
“I’ll finish by telling the media that Nation Media Group should declare whether they are a publisher, broadcaster, media house, or an opposition party,” said Kuria.
“I have declared that from today, any government department that will put any advertisement on Nation Media Group should be sent home.”
Message is Clear pic.twitter.com/cLfrWbEYg4
— Hon.Moses Kuria,HSC (@HonMoses_Kuria) June 18, 2023
The CS then took the war online where he referred to Nation journalists as prostitutes.
“You can still advertise auctioneers and funeral announcements. We will not stop those,” he tweeted.
The Cabinet Secretary was upset with Nation after the publication of an article in which he was accused of being involved in a Sh6 billion edible oil transaction that had been conceived during President William Ruto’s first Cabinet meeting.
According to the piece published on Sunday, private firms were single-sourced to procure oil on behalf of the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC).
The businesses imported the oil tax-free and then sold it to the government agency at a higher price, thus costing the taxpayers an additional Sh10 billion in unauthorized tax exemptions for oil imports.
One of the firms used to import the oil was Purma Holdings Limited which is owned by Communications Authority Board Chair, Mary Wambui.
On Twitter, Kenyans are calling for the immediate removal of Kuria from office. Others thanked the media house for exposing the rot within the government.
Here are some of the comments:
Before Moses Kuria deletes.
Nation Media group have been doing a great job in exposing graft that we would have otherwise not know existed. In a civilized country, such a minister would have been called to resign immediately over such attacks to the media. pic.twitter.com/sfOoXmcwtu— KIPRONO (@Onorpik) June 18, 2023
Journalists are exposing how corrupt Moses Kuria is, how his Ministry cost this country Ksh 10 billion in taxes, and he comes out and calls the Malaya? President @WilliamsRuto, we know sisi hatuna uwezo, but you are just okay with this? Mwingine ameiba nyumba, mwingine pesa za…
— Juma G 🇰🇪 (@jumaf3) June 19, 2023
Also Moses Kuria publicly threatened to fire any state department official who dares place any ad on a Nation Media Group publication.
I'm sure the Media Council, Media Owners and Editors Guild will have thoughts on this.
But this is a strangulation tactic which began with the… https://t.co/jHLwtgHPFH— FERDINAND OMONDI (@FerdyOmondi) June 19, 2023
Moses Kuria is what happens when you award politicians who lost elections with CS jobs. Cabinet Secretaries shouldn't be running their foul mouth on social media. They're expected to carry themselves at a high level and have admirable traits such as class and self-respect.
— 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗝𝗔 (@iamjoseh_) June 19, 2023
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