For months allies of the deputy president William Ruto have been threatening to boycott Citizen TV for what they term as biased coverage.
It all started in September this year when section of Ruto allies called out Citizen TV for covering chaotic scene in Naromoru where the DP’s convoy was stoned by angry youth.
Politicians allied to Ruto called on his supporters to boycott Citizen TV for reporting on the drama in Naromoru.
The allies claimed Citizen TV was biased and maintained that the report on Naromoru chaos was exaggerated.
In October, Hustler Nation spokesperson Dennis Ole Itumbi lodged another complaint about Citizen TV claiming that the station was giving Ruto unfair coverage in terms of airtime.
Through a tweet, Itumbi accused Citizen TV of not airing any news about Ruto over 30 minutes after prime time news commenced.
“9.37PM, 34 minutes into News, no story on @WilliamsRuto. The Running order @citizentvkenya, decided WsR & #HustlerNation belongs to the filler part of the Bulletin. It is official, CITIZEN is the FOX News of the 2022 Campaign, slanted for @RailaOdinga – Ni sawa. Tupatane MBELE!” Itumbi tweeted.
Fast forward to November, Citizen TV was put to task to explain why Ruto’s allies were not invited to a morning show on the station.
Citizen TV was forced to respond after a viewer accused the station of being biased inviting members only aligned to one political faction during its Morning Daybreak show.
This was after ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, Migori County Woman Rep Pamela Odhiambo, Baringo Woman Representative Gladys Tungo and Mahiri Zaja, Former Vice Chair for the show appeared on the show to talk about political parties.
The viewer took to Twitter to accuse the station of inviting pro- handshake leaders only, leaving out Ruto’s Tangatanga and UDA faction.
“Interesting times to be alive. My former party ODM used to cry foul of any statement by Matiang’i even when he was CS Education. Today they are happy with him because he’s singing hossana Baba. INTEREST!!! Even the panel was selected on bias grounds,” @Benardooko2 tweeted.
Morning Daybreak host Sam Gituku was forced to set the record straight why Ruto allies were missing from his show.
Gituku explained that allies of the deputy president were invited to the Citizen TV show but they failed to turn up.
“There was a viewer who questioned about the representation of the Deputy President side. Just to indicate here, we placed invitations. they were not available for this show and the show continues,” stated Gituku.
Another Ruto ally David Tarus, an aspiring Mosop MP, has come out to accuse Citizen TV of open political biasness.
Tarus called out Citizen TV for giving people opposed to Ruto a platform to make ‘unfounded’ opinions against him.
In a post on his Twitter feed, the politician predicted Citizen TV’s viewership and popularity will decline sharply by April next year should the station continue negative campaign against Ruto.
“The open political biasness of Citizen TV will cost them dearly. They will cease being the lead media house by April 2022. Majority of Kenyans at the moment are supporters of the BOTTOM-UP economics political ideology & they will shun Citizen TV for alternative sources of news,” David Tarus tweeted on November 29th 2021.
The open political biasness of Citizen TV will cost them dearly. They will cease being the lead media house by April 2022. Majority of Kenyans at the moment are supporters of the BOTTOM-UP economics political ideology & they will shun Citizen for alternative sources of news.
— David Tarus (@realdavidtarus) November 29, 2021
Tarus’ criticism of Citizen TV comes amid a complaint by Kikuyu Vernacular Singer Kimani Wa Turraco who claimed that Royal Media Service (RMS) has blacklisted him on his stations over anti-Raila song.
Related: SK Macharia Bans Kikuyu Vernacular Singer Kimani Wa Turraco From His Stations Over Anti-Raila Song
