Raila calls off boycott on the Star newspaper, takes complaint to MCK
Azimio leader Raila Odinga has called off the boycott of the Star newspaper saying he will take his complaint to the Media Council of Kenya.
In a press briefing on Thursday, Raila said the boycott withdrawal comes after a consultation with stakeholders who agreed to call off the boycott.
Raila received criticism from several media stakeholders after he announced the boycott of several products and services, including the local media house.
The Media Council of Kenya (MCK), Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ), and Kenya Editors’ Guild (KEG) have cautioned Raila, saying that his comments were an attack on media freedom and could endanger the lives of journalists working for the media house.
Raila had urged his supporters to boycott the products and services, claiming that the companies had become “enablers and facilitators of this brutal regime” and “enemies of the people”.
The media groups, however, resented Raila’s remarks, calling on him to refrain from making such comments that could undermine the freedom of the press.
MCK Chairperson David Omwoyo condemned Raila’s remarks, saying that they attempted to manipulate public opinion and undermine the freedom of the press, which is an essential right that allows journalists to report on events, issues, and people without fear of censorship or repression.
Omwoyo added that such comments could make journalists working for the media house a target.