President Uhuru Kenyatta will not give NTV's news anchor Mark Masai a copy of the SGR contract

Uhuru tells NTV's Mark Masai to forget about SGR contract

Mark Mwithaga

April 30, 2019 5:46 PM

You will not get it

President Uhuru Kenyatta

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday stated that the copy of the Standard Gauge Railway line (SGR) contract would not be made available to NTV's news anchor Mark Masai.

Through State House Chief of staff Nzioka Waita, Kenyatta will not honor the promise he made in December 2018 to Mark during a live broadcast to the country.

State House Chief of staff Nzioka Waita during a past event Pulse Live Kenya

Waita stated that the reason for the U-turn by the president was after consultations were made with the Attorney General Paul Kihara on the matter.

“To the fact of the matter is that the contract will not be released to Mark Maasai. So he shouldn’t be expecting it.

The President did not lie (when asked about releasing the contract). He was counseled by the Attorney General who has guided that only the organization with locus should request for an agreement that is signed by two institutions which are bound by confidentiality clauses and must go through the public audit process,” remarked the State House Chief.

He went on to further point out that the popular reporter had gone about the wrong way while inquiring about the contract.

“I still have reservations as to how Mark conducted himself and how he engaged the President.

I think he engaged the President at the time the President had to give him a response. It was a question based on an unnecessary level of aggression. That was uncalled for,” highlighted Waita.

Mark Masai's response to Kenyatta regarded rude

During the round table meeting with journalists in Mombasa, Coast County, the Head of State and Mark locked horns in regards to the country’s accumulated debt.

NTV news anchor Mark Masai Pulse Live Kenya

Mark’s responses to Kenyatta after the news anchor was asked if he knew the debt of the Japanese government had been considered ‘rude’.

Kenyatta had defended Kenya’s rising debt where he stated that he was borrowing to help fund development projects set to improve the economy and not for personal means.

Mark Mwithaga