Senator Demands Apology from Media Over Raila Coup Claim Report
Senator Samson Cherargei from Nandi County criticized the Nation Media Group (NMG) for their Sunday Nation headline on March 16. He claimed they misrepresented former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Cherargei posted on social media, stating the headline, “Raila: I saved Ruto from military coup,” was misleading and disrespectful to both Odinga and the Kenyan military.
He accused the media outlet of being biased and demanded they apologize to the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
Furthermore, he urged Odinga to demand an apology or take legal action against NMG for allegedly misquoting him. “Nation Media is either becoming sensational or misquoting PM Rt. Odinga on the issue of a military coup against H.E. Ruto’s government,” Cherargei said.
“PM Odinga must demand an apology or sue them for this non-objective/sensational reporting through brown envelope journalism. The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) is the most disciplined, and non-partisan and doesn’t do politics; dragging them to such serious accusations is malicious, uncouth, barbaric, and primitive just for political expedience.”
Cherargei concluded by asking the government’s critics to use other methods and avoid involving the KDF in “harmful politics.”
Odinga’s statement about preventing a military coup on President William Ruto came from an exclusive interview with the newspaper, referring to the June 2024 Gen Z protests.
Odinga said he advised the President against deploying military troops to assist police in controlling the protests, which had escalated to the point of protesters entering Parliament.
He argued that bringing in the military could have led to a forced power change or a military coup.
“Ruto can be removed through the ballot but once soldiers get out of the barracks, they never go back,” he told NMG.
A close associate of Odinga had reportedly learned that Ruto was considering sending in the KDF, prompting him to call Ruto and advise against it.
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Senator Demands Apology from Media Over Raila Coup Claim Report
