Nairobi — Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for ICT and the Digital Economy, William Kabogo, has pushed back against claims that the government is too cozy with the country’s top media watchdog.
Speaking at the 2025 Annual Media Summit in Nairobi on Wednesday, Mr Kabogo made it clear: “The government is not in bed with the Media Council of Kenya.”
He said the phrase often used to imply behind-the-scenes collusion—didn’t reflect the current relationship between the state and the council.
“If I may use that language, because it is commonly referred to, it doesn’t mean we’re doing things just to help the government,” he said, addressing a hall of journalists and media stakeholders at the Edge Convention Centre in South C.
Kabogo praised the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) for what he called its “unwavering commitment to professionalism and ethical journalism.” But he didn’t hold back on his expectations for the press either.
“We must report facts, not distortions,” he said. “Criticize the government where necessary but do it responsibly.”
The minister cited what he called recent misreporting around President William Ruto’s remarks on enforced disappearances, accusing some outlets of twisting the president’s words.
On Monday, during a joint press conference with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Mr Ruto told reporters that “all the people who disappeared or were abducted have been brought back to their homes.”
That comment, meant to signal an end to a dark chapter of extrajudicial abductions, raised eyebrows. Some Kenyans questioned whether the president was inadvertently acknowledging state involvement in past disappearances.
Mr Kabogo said the reporting on those remarks had missed the mark.
“That’s not just bad journalism it’s dangerous,” he said.
Still, Kabogo was firm in defending the media’s constitutional rights. “The government will not suppress the media. Press freedom is vital and must be protected,” he said.
He acknowledged the role of a free press in holding those in power accountable, adding that the state intends to work with media, not against it.
“We’re working to improve digital policy, literacy, and infrastructure,” he said. “Public and community media must grow and we want to support that.”
While the government has faced criticism in recent months for its relationship with the press including accusations of selective access and public messaging control Kabogo’s remarks suggest a more collaborative tone going forward.
Still, many journalists in the room were cautious. As one senior editor told this reporter off the record: “Words are good, but the test is always in what happens when the next tough story breaks.”
