An official from the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has threatened a journalist working at the Nation Media Group (NMG) over the recently released Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) 2021 results.
The journalist, Oscar Kakai, did a report on the 2021 KCSE results of Chewoyet National School, a boys-only national boarding secondary school located in West Pokot County. It is there where Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, the first president of Kenya and the Kapenguria Six faced their trial in the year 1953.
- Govt Moves To Punish Rogue Bosses
- Matatu Tout Arrested Inciting To Violence Ahead Of Elections
- Man Sets Himself On Fire Upon Wrong Advice By Nurse
- Anerlisa Muigai Moves Out Of Nairobi Home After Auctioneer Drama
- Malala Forced To Release KCSE Results After Claims Of Failing Exams
Kakai on Monday, April 25 quoted in his story the school Principal, Kiminisi Barasa, who revealed that three students who sat the exam at the school had their results cancelled upon release by Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) George Magoha on Saturday, April 23.
The story was printed in the Daily Nation newspaper on Page 6 under the heading Shame of cancellations at Chewoyet Boys High, which subsequently drew the ire of the union official identified as Mathew Merimuk.
The three students had missed their results, which had a ripple effect on the overall performance of the school. The institution, which was elevated to national status in 2012 had 62 Ds in the 2021 exams, with an entry of 415 candidates.
The school, which was the top in the county in the 2020 KCSE exams had a mean score of 6.922, calculated on the basis of the cancelled three results, which was a drop from a mean of 7.068 in 2020.
It had one A, 24A minus ,38B+,47 B plain, 58B-, 64C, 60C minus-, 35D+, 25D, 2D-s, 3Ys and 1p in the 2021 KCSE exams. However, the officially stamped school result slip showed a mean score of 7.007 for the results of 416 candidates.
Merimuk, who is a KUPPET Executive Secretary in West Pokot County, threatened Kakai with legal action following the publication of the story.
“Good morning Mr Oscar, I’m Mathew Merimuk, KUPPET Vice Executive Secretary, following on the article you have tainted Chewoyet name because of 3yrs we promise to handle you probably, don’t cry! We shall sue you in the corridors of power,” messages sent to the reporter read.
Other individuals accused Kakai of shaming the county, further denying him an interview with him regarding the performance.
The journalist has since recorded a statement on the matter to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Kapenguria, West Pokot County while claiming that his life is in danger.
The Pokot Journalists Association led by Chairman Joseph Kintu condemned the incident calling for the arrest of the perpetrators.
In near similar circumstances on Tuesday, January 25, Lamu Senator, Anwar Loitiptip threatened a reporter from Radio Africa Group’s The Star Newspaper who had reached out to him after Saumu Mbuvi, daughter of Nairobi governor Mike Sonko, confirmed through her Instagram stories that he was a deadbeat father.
Upon awareness that the phone conversation was on record, Loitiptip fired a warning shot at the reporter. He demanded that she stopped reaching out to him on phone over the allegations, threatening that he would report her to her boss.
Her colleagues lodged a complaint to the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) for further directions. Efforts to reach officials at the council by Viral Tea for a follow-up did not bear fruit.
