Journalists kept out of President Daniel Moi residence
By Noah Cheploen, February 6, 2020
Noah Cheploen @cheploennoah
Journalists from most media houses have been on the receiving end after being barred from accessing the late President Daniel Moi’s Kabarnet Gardens residence in Nairobi where burial plans are taking place.
Since Tuesday, journalists, except those from the Standard Media Group which is owned by the Moi family, have been denied access to the home where scores of dignitaries have been trooping in to pay their last respects to the former Head of State.
The rest of the crew including the State Broadcaster, KBC, has been turned into spectators after being kept at bay, more than 150 metres from the Moi homestead gate.
Hawk-eyed GSU have firm instructions that only journalists from KTN and Standard Group are allowed in.
Being a State funeral as President Uhuru Kenyatta directed on Tuesday during his proclamation of the former Head of State’s death, there has been disquiet a-mong media houses on the restriction and discrimination.
“It is unfair for one media house to have unlimited access while others scavenge for interviews with the leaders getting in or out,” a journalist said.
The discrimination of other media houses has made it difficult to comprehensively cover mourning proceedings at the Kabarak home.
During the proclamation, Uhuru said the nation will observe a period of national mourning from today until the day of Moi’s funeral.
The late ex-president will also be accorded a State funeral, with all appropriate civilian and full military honours being rendered and observed.
Uhuru said that as an expression of public sorrow, the flag of the Republic of Kenya shall be flown at half-mast at State House, state lodges, all public buildings and public grounds, all military bases, posts and stations, on all naval vessels of the Republic of Kenya, and elsewhere throughout the Republic of Kenya; from dawn on February 4, 2020, until sunset on the day of the burial. The flag shall also be flown at half-mast for the same length of time at all Kenyan embassies abroad, among others.