I had Powers to Shut Down Media and Internet During Protests but I didn’t – Ruto
President William Ruto has affirmed his commitment to respect the Constitution and the freedom of the media.
Speaking during a town hall meeting in Mombasa, Ruto emphasized that he is a firm believer in the Constitution and is committed to protecting it.
“I am a great believer in the Constitution, many countries that have gone through what Kenya has gone through, Bangladesh for example, they switched off the internet, they switched off the TVs, they did whatever they did,”
He said despite Kenya going through the same, he did not curtail the freedom of the media and the internet remains available every day for people to continue communicating.
He said the TVs have continued to broadcast live events as they happen in various parts of the country, while newspapers continue to write whatever they want.
“I have the machinery to switch them off, I did not switch them off because I am a believer in the rule of law and I am a believer in free media,” Ruto said.
“That is why media can go out and demonstrate and call me names whatever they want, it doesn’t bother me, but that is what freedom is about, that is what democracy is about,” he said.
His remarks follow relentless citizens-led protests against the rejected Finance Bill 2024 and the Kenya Kwanza government.
During the protests, the media has been proactive in providing coverage, pointing out instances of police brutality against the protesters and the journalists themselves.
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The Fourth Estate also provided live coverage of the protests even as Parliament was breached by the demonstrators.
The media recently staged peaceful demonstrations to protest the use of excessive force by the police which has left several journalists nursing severe injuries.
The protests happened following the injury of a Nakuru-based TV journalist who was shot three times in the thigh by police despite putting on a media jacket as she covered the demonstrations.
Veteran journalist Macharia Gaitho also recently survived a botched police abduction at the Karen police station.
The police later released him claiming it was a case of mistaken identity.
The journalists’ grievances include alleged harassment at the hands of the police which they deem a direct assault on media freedom and independent reporting.
They demanded action against police officers who have overstepped their mandates by using excessive force on scribes who are well marked while covering the protests.
I had Powers to Shut Down Media and Internet During Protests but I didn’t – Ruto
