“We are begging for fairness” – Deputy Government Spokesperson challenges media

Deputy Government Spokesperson, Gabriel Muthuma, has issued a passionate appeal to the media, calling for fairness and fact-based reporting in the face of growing public scepticism toward government communication.

Speaking during a recent interview with KBC Channel 1’s, ‘The Shift’, on the topic of “Government Communication: Information or Propaganda?”, Muthuma said that the government had taken every effort to engage the media and maintain open, cordial relations.

He revealed that since coming into office, they have held numerous meetings with mainstream, digital, and vernacular media, including media owners, all in a bid to build a good relationship.

“All media houses will tell you that when we got into office, we set up a raft of meetings… All trying to be proactive and to have a good working relationship,” Muthuma said. “Our meetings were very cordial… Has that been reciprocated? Obviously, as you have seen, not by all.”

Mr Muthuma’s comments come as the Kenya Kwanza government continues to face widespread criticism and waning public trust.

“We have bent over backwards to say, ‘Let’s sit down, let’s talk. Hold us to account, yes.’ It’s not that you should write everything to our expectation — no. What we are begging, and this is what everybody begs for, is fairness,” he emphasised.

However, he insisted that the government has remained cordial with the media despite the challenges.

Government committed to informing the public

In the same interview, Mr Muthuma maintained that the government is committed to informing citizens, even amid ongoing challenges.

“When we communicate the government’s agenda, that is the truth,” he said, emphasising the government’s commitment to ensuring their messaging reached all members of the public, including people with disabilities.

Unfortunately, he shared that despite their fact-based, honest communications about the success stories of government initiatives like SHA, its messaging has been met with disbelief.

“The success stories that you’ve heard, we have realised nobody can tell that story better than one who is living it. I can admit that even with the challenges that are present, we should not retreat or be intimidated…We must always strive to inform the best way we know how.”

He further warned that the spread of disinformation ran the risk of undermining the country’s information ecosystem.

“If we allow people to deliberately disinform, you are only going to create an army of propagandists,” he said.

“With time, we shall be proven right” – Gabriel Muthuma

Responding to criticism over controversial government initiatives, Muthuma argued that the administration’s actions are grounded in long-term planning and research, not populism.

“I don’t have a problem with the issue of trust because with time, we shall be proven right. Credible, deliberate actions have been taken about housing, today. Yes, there was the propaganda of ‘who needs a house?’ but then there is the reality… Any self-respecting leader can choose to do something now or pass the buck, but then what happens tomorrow?”

He added that President William Ruto had made a conscious decision to pursue meaningful development over short-term popularity.

“The President decided, which made me very happy, that he had two choices. One was to play the populist leadership or one that will leave a mark. You can become a popular leader by doing nothing, but he chose to develop a nation.”