(NDIMA/IFEX) – Members of the opposition National Development Party(NDP), which has recently established a working relationship with the ruling KANU party, have threatened to hamper the commercial activities of, or start hostilities against Nation Newspapers Ltd after accusing the group’s newspapers of engaging in a smear campaign against their party and its leader. According to […]
(NDIMA/IFEX) – Members of the opposition National Development Party(NDP),
which has recently established a working relationship with the ruling KANU
party, have threatened to hamper the commercial activities of, or start
hostilities against Nation Newspapers Ltd after accusing the group’s
newspapers of engaging in a smear campaign against their party and its
leader. According to the newspaper group, a statement issued by the party
and dated 8 July 1998 defended party leader Mr Raila Odinga, charging that
the newspapers portrayed the party leader and others as self-seekers and
ridiculed the party’s stand on Cupertino with KANU.
“If the Nation does not take our advice to change their attitude to give our
party and our leaders correct and objective coverage as expected of
responsible journalism, we might be inclined to advise our supporters
countrywide to stop advertising and buying `The Nation’, or to commence
hostilities against the paper,” the statement said.
The statement was in reaction to a 6 July story that quoted Odinga as having
pleaded with Kenyans to forgive President Daniel arap Moi for atrocities
committed during his tenure of office. Odinga was addressing a congregation
at the Kisumu’s Church of Christ in Africa on 5 July.
Dr Aringo Odinga, a brother of Raila, said that the latter did not mention
the President’s name during his address. “I went with Raila to the church in
one car and when he spoke in that church there was no mention of Moi,”
Aringo said. “The politics of Cupertino is a new culture in Kenya and KANU
and other parties can learn from [the] NDP.”
