Kenya media group threatened over cooking oil exposé

Kenya’s trade minister is being accused of intimidating one of the largest media groups in Kenya over its exposé of a cooking oil scandal.

The Nation Media Group's investigation looked at how a state agency under the trade ministry reportedly single-sourced private firms to import cooking oil tax-free.

Under Kenyan law, such tax exemptions can only be made for emergency relief goods - with the entire deal potentially leading to the loss of more than $100m (£78m).

The minister, Moses Kuria, lashed out over the report and has banned government agencies from advertising with the media group.

"Nation Media, you must now decide whether you are a newspaper, a broadcaster, a media house or a political party. I have said from tomorrow, even from today, any government department that is found adverting in the Nation Media Group, consider yourself out [of government]," the minister said during a public event.

He followed up the warning in a number of tweets picking out some of the advertisements, while calling journalists at the media house "prostitutes".

His remarks have been condemned by a number of groups, including the Kenya Union of Journalists.

The Media Council of Kenya described them as a threat to press freedom and as soiling Kenya’s global image.

Kenya's anti-corruption commission said no public institution or official should be victimised for doing business with Nation Media Group as public procurement was governed by the law.

This article originally appeared on BBC News.

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