Twalib Mbarak: EACC will pursue all corrupt governors,attempt to muzzle the media is futile

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) will not relent on its war against corrupt governors, the commission’s CEO Twalib Mbarak has said.

In a letter to the Council of Governors Chair Wycliffe Oparanya, Mbarak termed as inappropriate, the move by governors to cancel advertisements with the Nation Media Group.

“EACC has communicated to the Chairperson of the Council of Governors advising against victimizing the Nation Media Group and/or any other service provider as it offends the Constitution and relevant laws that govern acquisition of goods and services by Public Entities,” the commission said.

Further, EACC said the move breached Article 10 and Article 227 (1, 3 and 21) of the Kenyan Constitution, warning that any Public Officer or Accounting Officer who would implement the punitive instructions would be held liable.

The latest comes days after the Council of Governors announced that it had halted all advertisement with the Nation Media Group.

In a statement by Governor Oparanya, CoG said the move was informed by a ”smear campaign” by the media house, which had painted the county bosses as ”corrupt, inept and incapable of running their counties”.

A report by the Nation titled “Eight Governors on graft hit list” had spoken of the graft investigations by the EACC targeting several county bosses.

The council  warned other media houses that similar action would be meted out on any publisher who would carry “salacious stories”.

The move was frowned upon by among others, the Media Council of Kenya, which in a statement, said the action was a direct affront on the freedom and independence of the media.