The chief Executive Officer of Media Council of Kenya (MCK), David Omwoyo on Wednesday evening, revealed that the council would launch a manhunt on media stations that host fraudsters.
While addressing in an event held to mark world radio day, he went on to decree that the new directive would take effect from Tuesday, February 19.
“We will be taking stern actions against media houses that host fraudsters because that’s deceiving Kenyans who listen or watch that particular station,” Omwoyo asserted.
Omwoyo also asked the media to be keen on the people they host on air as listeners trust the media and consider them as credible authorities and thus airing fraudsters would lead to peddling lies to the masses.
“People who believe in your station are likely to believe what is said by the people you bring on your platform, therefore if you bring a fraudster people will believe him or her,” Omwoyo explained.
The CEO continued by giving an example of preachers who are allowed to go on air and claim that they have cures for Cancer and HIV/AIDS.
He said that such deceits would not be tolerated and the council will come hard on media stations allowing them.
He added that even though radios reach many people, they still have the challenges of conducting shallow talks and using vulgar language.
Omwoyo finally affirmed his support for media freedom, but adding that freedom must go hand in hand with responsibility.