The Star newspaper was on Thursday forced to apologise over a controversial opinion piece that had been published in its Wednesday edition.
The media house ate humble pie after MPs sitting in the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) that is investigating the Sh995 Million NYS scandal, complained over the offensive language used in the opinion piece.
The piece titled: ‘Committees’ Proceedings are pointless Farce‘ and written by activist Benji Ndolo, rubbished the investigations carried out by PAC.
The author accused MPs of lacking integrity that would qualify them to investigate the matter.
Ndolo added that members of the PAC only attended the grilling sessions with the intention of receiving sitting allowances.
Vice chairman Jackson Rop argued that the PAC was a reputable committee whose integrity has never been questioned.
“The published report by The Star newspaper is not only malicious but puts the integrity of the committee at stake,” he complained.
PAC Member Timothy Bosire strongly objected the allegations adding that Ndolo’s comments would taint the reputation of the committee.
Bosire continued: “If there is any member who is corrupt, why doesn’t the paper name and shame the member instead of dragging the name of all members in the mud.”
The complaints by PAC prompted committee Chairman Nicholas Gumbo to summon the writer who authored the contentious article so that he could substantiate his claims.
On Thursday, the committee grilled former NYS Director General Nelson Githinji.
Here is the full apology by the Star:
Yesterday, we published an article titled ‘Committees’ proceedings are pointless farce’ by opinion writer Benji Ndolo. In the article, strong and offensive language was used, disparaging the National Assembly’s Public Accounts and Public Investment Committees and their members. We retract the article and apologise to both committees and the entire National Assembly.
