Raila condemns move to block journalists from Parliament's media centre

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has condemned the move to block journalists from accessing the media centre in Parliament.

Mr Odinga said Wednesday he raised the issue with National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi and termed the eviction of journalists "retrogressive".

"It is a retrogressive development to kick the media out of Parliament. They belong here," Mr Odinga said after attending a meeting of Cord MPs, in his first visit to Parliament following the March elections.

He said that the centre was set up to allow the media to access information quickly.

"It took us a long time to put it up, we even took a team out there to find out how other parliaments do it," said the former PM.

"The media eviction is therefore a step backward."

Last month, the Clerk of the National Assembly Justin Bundi issued an ultimatum to journalists to vacate Parliament's media centre.

Mr Bundi ordered that journalists will be “invited” to Parliament as and when they are needed. He said the media centre will host parliamentary committees.

“We’re not creating residence for journalists in Parliament,” said Mr Bundi,

The implication being that the parliamentary orderlies have the power to eject journalists from the media centre anytime a committee decides to meet in the venue.

But in a rejoinder, media owners condemned Parliament's decision terming it a blow to democracy and press freedom.

Media Owners Association chairman Kiprono Kittony said the move will disengage the public from receiving critical coverage on parliamentary proceedings and called on the National Assembly to rescind its decision.

"The move is a blow to the gains towards democracy and will disengage the public from receiving critical proceedings in Parliament. We, therefore, call upon Parliament to rescind its decision,” he said in a statement.