President Uhuru Kenyatta has responded to the story published by the New York Times blaming the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) for the death of three Americans during the manda Bay attack in Lamu.
In an article published on Wednesday, January 22, the New York Times stated that while other American troops and support staff were confined in tents, Kenyan forces hid in grass hence less protection was left outside to battle the attackers making the Americans easy target to the enemy.
The publication alluded that the attack was aided by some Kenyan staff from the Manda Bay.
President Uhuru while speaking at the 2020 UK-Africa Investment Summit, London, faulted the western media for painting African countries in bad light and for highlighting negative information.
Read: KDF To Blame For The Death Of Three Americans In Manda Bay Attack – US Army
He stated that he no longer watches news due to the bad image painted by media quoting Aljazeera, CNN, BBC, Sky News among others.
According to the Head of State, Kenya and the rest of African countries should be treated with the uniqueness they deserve.
“We have this unfortunate problem created by the media that every single day it’s the negative aspects of Africa that are brought out there. I keep telling people that sometimes when you watch news, which I stopped watching, you find Aljazeera, CNN, BBC, Sky News… talking about something that has happened in African countries and when the guy is signing off he says ‘this is John White reporting from Nairobi, Kenya,” said Uhuru.
Read Also: KDF Refute New York Times Story, Insist They Did Not Hide In Bush During Manda Attack
The story published by the New York Times elicited mixed reactions, as the claimed report faults and blames the country for the attack yet the joint board investigations report has not yet been finalized.
The KDF, in their response through Kenya Military Spokesperson Colonel Paul Njuguna refuted the claims by the publication stating that they did not hide in grass.
“It is strange where the news report is coming from and why at this time when we are waiting for the investigations to be concluded. We can only have a correct and factual account of the happenings once the report is finalized,” the Colonel said.
Read Also: Manda Attack: UK Issues Travel Advisory on Kenya
In different instances, the Kenyan government has blasted international media for peddling lies and incorrect, non factual information regarding the country.
For instance, last year, Aljazeera published a story with the title; “If you are a Kenyan Citizen, your private data is not safe”.
This was referencing the Huduma Number that the Kenyan government had initiated, making it mandatory to every citizen.
In another different incident in 2015, former US president Barrack Obama was to make a visit to Kenya, which is also where he was born.
CNN reported the story linking Kenya to what was termed “a hotbed of terror”.
The move angered President Uhuru who led the twitter brigade in blasting CNN through the hashtag #UhuruTellsCNN.
Following the story on Manda Bay attack by New York Times, Kenyans did not shy away from expressing their disappointment and blasted the media for the same.
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