Mucheru skips date with Senate to explain TV shutdown

The Senate committee on Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) has expressed its dissatisfaction with the ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru for failing to appear before it to explain the recent TV shutdown which thrust the country into information darkness for ten days.

The committee had invited the minister to explain the shutdown which was effected after leading private TV stations defied the government’s warning not to provide live coverage of the January 30 “swearing-in” of National Super Alliance (Nasa) leader Raila Odinga as the “people’s president”.

However, Mr Mucheru did not show up for the meeting scheduled for Thursday, attracting the ire of the senators, who accused him of contempt and approaching his official duties with a sense of impunity.

Mr Mucheru had initially confirmed attendance.

Letter

However, the committee received a letter Thursday morning from his Principal Secretary Henry Mungasia excusing Mr Mucheru from appearing.

The letter which was read to committee members by the chairman of the session Aaron Cheruiyot (Kericho) said the CS could not attend because Thursday is traditionally reserved for cabinet meetings.

“Further Mr Mucheru will be travelling out of the country for official duties from February 19 to February 26 and any other engagement with the committee can only be done after that date. It is therefore to ask the committee to postpone any meeting with the CS until he returns,” Mr Mungasia’s letter said.

Senators irked

It was this letter that irked the legislators who accused Mr Mucheru of being contemptuous of the role of Parliament in the management of public affairs and demanded that summons be issued for the CS to appear before he travels out of the country.

Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang’ accused the government of adopting a “Gestapo tactic” in handling the media and noted the committee should use all means to ensure the CS appears before it even if it means “cutting short his trip”.

“Mr Mucheru is contemptuous of the role of Parliament. This is the same contempt he has extended to the Constitution and the media. He must learn to prioritise issues that affect Kenyan people at the expense of foreign travels,” he said.

When announcing the shutdown, Interior CS Fred Matiang’i had declared the TV stations would remain closed until investigations were completed on the role of the media in the “swearing-in” of Mr Odinga, revealing that part of the investigation touched on journalists he did not name.

Mr Kajwang’ wants Mr Mucheru to explain what the government was investigating, who is conducting the investigations and the findings.

Losses

“Mr Mucheru must also come here and explain to us the consequential loss the three TV stations incurred as a result of the closure. Who will foot the bill of these losses?” he asked.

The sentiments were supported by senators Enock Wambua (Kitui), Isa Boy (Kwale) and Malachy Ekal (Turkana), all who vouched for immediate summons to be issued to the CS saying the committee could not sit at his convenience.

Prof Ekal noted that if Kenya is a truly a country governed by laws, those charged with official responsibility must respect the law.

Mr Wambua told the CS that the Kenyan public wants answers on what informed the shutdown and reminded the government that the freedom of the media is guaranteed in the Constitution.

The committee issued another invitation for Mr Mucheru to appear on Monday, February 19, before he travels out of the country for an official engagement abroad.

Mr Cheruiyot said the letter by the CS smacks off lack of seriousness and ordered Mr Mucheru to appear before the committee on Monday February 19, failure to which the committee may be forced to issue summons.