Landmark Court Order: Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria Prohibited from Targeting Media Professionals
Wednesday, June 21, the High Court issued an injunction prohibiting Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria from attacking any journalist.
Justice Lawrence Mugambi issued the order pending the outcome of a lawsuit filed by human rights advocate Charles Mugane.
Days after the Trade CS threatened to pull all government advertising from Nation Media Group. The parent company of NTV and Daily Nation, Mugane filed the petition with the High Court.
The court order states, “…pending the hearing and determination of this application, an injunction be and is hereby issued against the Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Investments, Trade, and Industries, the Honorable Moses Kuria, prohibiting him from uttering and expressing any insulting words.”
Kuria’s threats were in response to a Kimathi Street-based media outlet’s exposé on an alleged oil scandal his ministry orchestrated.
In the order, Justice Mugambi also cautioned Kuria against making indirect statements. That could be construed as insulting, demeaning, belittling, condescending, disdainful, disparaging, or defamatory toward any media practitioner.
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Nonetheless, Justice Mugambi stated that the order is temporary. And will remain in effect until the case has been heard and decided.
Justice Mugambi stated, “In the interim, he must not make any demeaning, belittling, condescending, disdainful, disparaging, or vilifying statements against any Media Practitioner(s) within the meaning of Article 34 of the Constitution of Kenya.”
The case will be discussed on June 24, when the court will hear arguments from both parties and consider an application that seeks to permanently prohibit Kuria from making insulting or degrading remarks against media professionals.
Kuria vowed not to apologize for his remarks while addressing the Press on the grounds of Parliament on Wednesday, June 21, noting that he is pro-media but that some Journalists have gone rogue.
“I do not apologize, and I have been a media proprietor in the past. I have previously written for your newspapers and other publications.
Kuria asserted, “Nobody is more pro-media than I am, but I understand the distinction between media and what Thomas Baldwin called the prerogative of the harlot; the exercise of power without responsibility.”
Landmark Court Order: Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria Prohibited from Targeting Media Professionals
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