Interior and Co-ordination Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i now wants the Standard newspaper to apologise after an article it published seemingly linking him to an illicit affair with a choir girl.
In a letter by the Communication Director Mwenda Njoka, the Ministry says though the article published on its grapevine column - Ureport - did not mention Matiang’i’s name but all the description indicated that it was targeting the Minister.
“Although your newspaper did mention by name the Cabinet Secretary in question, the description viewed against the background of adjectives your newspaper has used to in the past to describe CS Fred Matiang'i leave no doubt that the CS being mentioned in the article is none other than Dr. Fred Matiang'i.
"In articles previously published in your newspaper, you have used adjectives such as no-nonsense, outspoken and strong Christian to describe CS Matiang’i. It is for this reason that we have reason to believe that the CS your article was disparagingly referring to is Dr Matiang’i" , Njoka letter to the Standard reads in part.
The Ministry accuses the Standard of defaming Mr. Matiang’i noting that the paper ought to make corrections and apologise.
The CS goes further to give the media-house seven-day ultimatum to make the apology.
"The purpose of this letter is to demand, on a without prejudice basis, unequivocal retraction of the defamatory article and an apology published prominently in your newspaper within the next seven days from the date of the letter,” Matiang’i’s office says.
