KENYAN ADS MOVE 'ATTACK ON PRESS' !
The Standard has been sharply critical of President Kibaki. The Kenyan government has stopped advertising in the oldest independent daily, following a report linking a minister with an assassination plot.
The Standard newspaper had published a report, alleging a minister hired two Armenian hit men to assassinate former President Daniel Moi's son.
Managing Editor Chaacha Mwita called the directive to pull adverts a government attack on independent media.
But Security Minister John Michuki said the paper was waging war against him.
The media group has been critical of President Mwai Kibaki's handling of recent corruption scandals.
Last year armed masked policemen shut down the Standard newspaper's printing press and switched off its television channel, KTN, for allegedly inciting ethnic hatred.
"As a media group we are criticising the security minister on the basis of facts and are not serving any personal interests," Mr Mwita told the BBC News website.
Mr Mwita and other directors of the media house were quizzed by the police for several hours on Tuesday over the alleged assassination plot.
"We have given the police the tape which has recordings of the confession by one of the Artur brothers, who was approached to assassinate Mr Gideon Moi. We are innocent," Mr Mwita said.
The infamous Armenian brothers were deported by the government last year after a raid at the residence uncovered weapons and fake vehicle number plates.
The two Artur brothers are said to be linked to influential people in President Kibaki's government.
An email availed to us shows the directive for government departments to withdraw advertisements from the newspaper and television station had been issued by the ministry of public service.
"Please cancel all Standard groups ads with immediate effect. This is a directive from the public service ministry to the Kenya Power and lighting Company," the email from a leading advertising agency in Nairobi read in part.
Opposition politicians and diplomats have criticised the move by the government and warned it against suppressing the independent press in Kenya.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
The Standard newspaper had published a report, alleging a minister hired two Armenian hit men to assassinate former President Daniel Moi's son.
Managing Editor Chaacha Mwita called the directive to pull adverts a government attack on independent media.
But Security Minister John Michuki said the paper was waging war against him.
The media group has been critical of President Mwai Kibaki's handling of recent corruption scandals.
Last year armed masked policemen shut down the Standard newspaper's printing press and switched off its television channel, KTN, for allegedly inciting ethnic hatred.
"As a media group we are criticising the security minister on the basis of facts and are not serving any personal interests," Mr Mwita told the BBC News website.
Mr Mwita and other directors of the media house were quizzed by the police for several hours on Tuesday over the alleged assassination plot.
"We have given the police the tape which has recordings of the confession by one of the Artur brothers, who was approached to assassinate Mr Gideon Moi. We are innocent," Mr Mwita said.
The infamous Armenian brothers were deported by the government last year after a raid at the residence uncovered weapons and fake vehicle number plates.
The two Artur brothers are said to be linked to influential people in President Kibaki's government.
An email availed to us shows the directive for government departments to withdraw advertisements from the newspaper and television station had been issued by the ministry of public service.
"Please cancel all Standard groups ads with immediate effect. This is a directive from the public service ministry to the Kenya Power and lighting Company," the email from a leading advertising agency in Nairobi read in part.
Opposition politicians and diplomats have criticised the move by the government and warned it against suppressing the independent press in Kenya.
posted by jackaranda at 8:01 pm
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