NMG Boss Urges All Media Houses To Bring Raila & Ruto Together

Kiboro stressed the need for political tolerance to promote unity amidst challenges affecting the country.

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Jul 17, 2023 - 11:57 Updated: Jul 17, 2023 - 11:58
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NMG Boss Urges All Media Houses To Bring Raila & Ruto Together
Side by side image of President William Ruto and Raila Odinga. /FILE

Nation Media Group (NMG) chairman Wilfred Kiboro on Monday, July 17 appealed to all media houses to push for the restart of talks between President William Ruto and Azimio la Umoja leader, Raila Odinga.

Speaking during the Nation Golf Series awards ceremony in Malindi, Kilifi County, Kiboro stressed the need for political tolerance to promote unity amidst challenges affecting the country.

Kiboro called for all politicians especially those allied to the Azimio and Kenya Kwanza factions to desist from attacking each other and instead put the needs of Kenyans first, warning that continued hardline stances could accelerate political tensions which could ignite devastating consequences.

He further urged all politicians to stand up to be counted in promoting peace in the country, adding that the media will continue to play its watchdog role to ensure that the country remains peaceful.

Dr Wilfred Kiboro, 75, the chairman of the Nation Media Group board, during a past address. /DAILY NATION

"A free and independent media is important. We had protests last week and sadly we lost lives, a number that remains a statistic.

"But these are our people and that is why the media must appeal to both sides of the political divide to come together. Please let us reason together," he appealed.

At the same time, Haki Africa, a human rights organisation, challenged Kenya's biggest TV station, Citizen TV, to mediate between Raila and Ruto, with its executive director Hussein Khalid noting that the Royal Media Services (RMS) TV station was better placed to end the political stalemate.

Khalid was of the idea of the TV station bringing together Raila and Ruto for a face-to-face instead of sending emissaries to explore a political compromise, most of whom have made statements with the potential of misleading the country.

“Let the leaders not send legislators Silvanus Osoro, Edwin Sifuna and others to broker for peace. Those do not have the intention of bringing the country together.

“It is the two (Raila and Ruto) who should face each other. Why can’t Citizen TV invite them here? The media has the ability to do so,” Khalid posed to Citizen TV journalist Nimrod Taabu during a live interview.

“Most of the time it is difficult but we will try our best. One of the ways we can achieve that is by calling them for an interview.

“We also feel as media that we are losing the chance to bring the country together due to the hard stance taken by politicians,” Taabu replied as Haki Africa expressed regret of the hardline stances taken by Raila and Ruto as well as their respective political allies, arguing that they were driving Kenya towards the edge.

Khalid at the same time urged Raila and the opposition to have a cool head as they hold the government to account and not go to extremes that have made the government's work of running the country very difficult.

“Let them not listen to misleading advisors. That is not the right way to lead,” he said while addressing the President and the former Prime Minister.

On Tuesday, June 27, RMS Chairman SK Macharia, a long-term ally of Raila Odinga, reportedly met the President at State House in Nairobi in private, igniting rumours of a fresh handshake between the two political powerhouses.

On Tuesday, July 4, State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed held talks with editors drawn from media houses in Kenya to debate President Ruto's transformation agenda, despite the loggerheads some government allies had been having with media houses regarding the accountability reports on the Kenya Kwanza government.

On Sunday, July 16, Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen revealed that Kenya Kwanza was willing to engage the opposition through parliamentary bipartisan talks.

On Monday, July 17, Azimio reiterated that it would carry on with protests slated for Wednesday, July 19 and running for three days in a row until Friday, July 21.

A photo collage of Royal Media Service Chairman SK Macharia (left) and Press Secretary of the Presidential Communication Service (PCS), Emmanuel Talam (right) at State House, Nairobi on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. /EMMANUEL TALAM

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