A recent purge at the Nation Media Group has resulted in the sacking of 15 journalists, including reporters and editors. According to the original account, the company is seeking to rid itself of reporters and editors who have written extensively about corruption.
Mugumo Munene and Andrew Teyie were among those sacked, reportedly due to their bold and consistent reporting on corruption. Eleven more reporters are expected to be let go in the following week.
Allegations of Politicization ¶
Some of the sacked journalists had been labeled as sympathizers of Raila Odinga due to their reporting on corruption. Additionally, there are concerns about the company's involvement in the 2013 elections, where reporters were assigned to file election results for a parallel independent tally.
Although the company had planned to release its own results based on reports from constituencies, it ultimately did not do so. The laptops used by reporters were collected, along with the data, raising questions about the company's intentions and whether the data was used to facilitate rigging.
Past Controversies ¶
In 1997, senior editors of the Nation Media Group worked as media consultants for Kanu during the election. This fact was revealed in 1998, sparking controversy. With one of those consultants now back in charge of the company, concerns are being raised about the potential for similar conflicts of interest.
