Elgeyo Marakwet senator Kipchumba Murkomen and his Makueni counterpart Mutula Kilonzo Junior have condemned the decision by senate committee on security to kick out journalists from Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i and IG Hillary Mutyambai’s grilling.
Jounalists were on Wednesday, August 19, kicked out of the Senate where a grilling of Matiang’i was ongoing over the arrest of three Senators.
The CS drove himself to Parliament Buildings at midday before reporters were kicked out of the Senate precincts.
The CS is said to have found journalists waiting for him when he arrived but moments before his session with the Senate Security Committee, they were shown the door.
The reporters argued that they had received press invites to the event but they were asked to leave by the committee chairman, Senator Yussuf Haji.
Murkomen through his official social media handles said that if the committee cannot stand up for their colleagues, institution of Senate and democracy, then Something is really rotten in the state of Kenya.
I am shocked that the Senate Commitee on Security chased the media from a sitting inquiring the illegal arrest of Senators. If the committee cannot stand up for colleagues, institution of Senate and democracy, then Something is really rotten in the state of Kenya
— KIPCHUMBA MURKOMEN, E.G.H (@kipmurkomen) August 19, 2020
Senator Mutula Jr argued that the committee was wrong to bar the media, saying that the public had the right to know.
“I am shocked that the Senate Commitee on Security chased the media from a sitting inquiring the illegal arrest of Senators. If the committee cannot stand up for colleagues, institution of Senate and democracy, then Something is really rotten in the state of Kenya,” Mutula Jr tweeted.
I am shocked that the Senate Commitee on Security chased the media from a sitting inquiring the illegal arrest of Senators. If the committee cannot stand up for colleagues, institution of Senate and democracy, then Something is really rotten in the state of Kenya
— KIPCHUMBA MURKOMEN, E.G.H (@kipmurkomen) August 19, 2020
