NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul, 27 – The Media Council of Kenya has called on the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) to ensure that Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha unconditionally apologizes for his recent remarks where he accused an NTV journalist of being ‘affiliated’ to a terror organization during a question and answer session.
MCK Chief Executive Officer David Omwoyo faulted the CS for his insensitive and reckless remarks citing his track record of intimidating journalists in the field.
“The Media Council of Kenya calls on the NCIC to ensure the Cabinet Secretary issues an unconditional apology, withdraws the unfortunate remarks, and rescinds his directives against the smooth operations of media,” said Omwoyo in a statement.
Magoha, in the recent video that has since gone viral, was responding to questions before cutting his answer short only to make unsavory remarks towards the journalist.
“Where do you come from? Who are you representing? Because if you are representing Al-Shabaab I will not answer you?” said the CS amid laughter from some at the press conference.
After learning that she worked for a local station, Magoha then laughed, saying that he would answer her question.
A section of those at the event however expressed their discomfort towards Magoha’s remarks terming them as unacceptable.
Muslim leaders have now conned the CS’s utterances demanding his immediate apology.
“In this unfortunate incident captured and broadcast on video the CS is seen targeting, discriminating and verbally attacking the young lady Muslim journalist on the basis of her religion and rearing to her as representing a terrorist organization,” said SUPKEM chairperson Hassan Ole Nado.
Nado said that his utterances undermined the constitutional and human rights to religion, human dignity, and press freedom while also undercutting the efforts to eradicate violent extremism in the country.
“It exposes this lady and all Muslim girls and women to danger,”
“We are calling upon the NCIC to take immediate action against the CS, the Media Council of Kenya to take it up and president Uhuru Kenyatta the appointing authority to sack the CS, ”
“I do not know where CS Magoha has been, but Muslim women are in this country, e are educated more than ever and we are here to take up spaces and he will be seeing more of us everywhere he goes. For him to make these comments based on unwarranted suspicion, and discrimination and him to target Muslim women like this is very devastating, to say the least,” said Kahdija Mohammd Association of Muslim Lawyers in Kenya.
Further MCK said that Magoha in December 2021 on a live TV broadcast made personal attacks against Standard Group journalist Augustine Oduor for breaking a story on the launch of a strategic plan of a parastatal based at the ministry of education.
“On January 7, 2021, the Media Council of Keya wrote to the CS and Commission on Administrative Justice to protest a ministerial directive by the Ministry of Education requiring journalists to seek special permission to visit schools for media coverage, said Omwoyo,”
Magoha is yet to apologize for his remarks.
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