Gunmen Attack Nation Journalist, Steal Phone and Cash Even As Media House Stands By the Jackie Maribe Employment Story

Nation Media Group reporter Mwangi Muiruri was on Friday morning attacked at gunpoint by four men dressed in navy blue suits.

The assailants were driving a white Demio and stole KES 2000 together with a phone belonging to the Nation journalist. The number plates of the Demio were deliberately soiled.

During the attack the assailants demanded Mr. Muiruri’s phone passcode lock digits and in the scuffle injured his left eye.

Mr. Muiruri broke the story on Jackie Maribe employment as a Director of Information in the Trade Ministry under Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria. Mr. Muiruri also quoted a text message from the CS in his article. He also quoted Jackie Maribe who both confirmed her employment in the government ministry.

On Thursday evening an aide in CS Kuria’s office demanded that Mr. Muiruri share with him the text message from his boss so that they could see the way forward....

Mr. Muiruri declined the request to share the message from CS Kuria. Subsequently Mr Kuria changed his story that Maribe landed the job through the Public Service Commission and not directly through his office.

Mr. Kuria’s reaction was as a result of public uproar that the appointment of Ms Maribe was irregular and had not followed the laid down procedure.

On Friday morning the Public Service Commission issued a statement dissociating itself from Mr. Kuria’s claims. It then became absurd as both Mr Kuria and the PSC declined knowledge of Ms Maribe employment.

On Thursday 14 March, Jackie Maribe published on her X and Facebook pages the official itinerary of CS Moses Kuria that took in Nakuru and Molo stopovers. She also added that she had hit the job running.

On Friday Maribe took a low profile as CS Kuria threatened to report Nation Media Group to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

As of the time of going to press it is yet unclear whether Moses Kuria made good on his threat and reported the journalist and the media house to the DCI at 9:00 am. It’s also unclear who sent the goons to instill fear in the seasoned reporter.

The Nation media group is sticking with all the details of the story and has refused attempts at pulling down or at least altering certain sections of the story.

On November 22, 2023 journalist Mwangi Muiruri was attacked at Greystone area by bodyguards attached to Second Lady Dorcas Gachagua. Although he had the professional lanyard and budge around his neck, Muiruri was attacked for the ambiguous reason that he was using his cellphone to take pictures while Dorcas Gachagua was distributing foodstuff.

Someone has made a serious gaffe in the Jackie Maribe appointment barely hours after her acquittal on murder charges. Someone did not quite understand the inopportune appointment could have such a monumental repercussion.

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