The Media Council of Kenya has come out to publicly condemn cyber bullying against Citizen TV Journalist Purity Mwambia after she faced backlash over her expose coverage titled ‘Virus Safaris.
In a video footage, the media personality exposed how some drivers facilitated the transportation of passengers in and out of Nairobi which was against the lockdown directive put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The coverage attracted mixed reactions with some Kenyans faulting the journalist of unethical journalism and lack of professionalism. In response to these critics, MCK warned cyberbullies stating that the appropriate channel to file their complaints is by raising their concerns through the council.
“If anyone is aggrieved by her work or the work of any other journalist, the proper channel should be to lodge a formal complaint to the Complaints Commission reachable at registrar@mediacouncil.or.ke indicating what ethical standards have been violated.” Reads statement in part
The council also expressed confidence in her work stating that she is an accredited journalist who adheres to the code of conduct for the Practice of Journalism in Kenya.
The @MediaCouncilK wishes to state that @PurityMwambia is an MCK accredited journalist who has distinguished herself by adhering to the Code of Conduct for the Practice of Journalism in Kenya.
— Media Council of Kenya (@MediaCouncilK) July 6, 2020
Despite the criticism, the award-winning investigative journalist has since remained silent over the coverage.
Apart from her recent investigative piece that went viral, Purity is also known for her piece ‘Murder For Profit’ that attracted the attention of the DPP and ‘Bweta la uhalifu’ while at K24 which prompted the authorities to take action.
Far from the recent criticism Purity Mwambia is one of the celebrated media personalities in Kenya and has a lot to show for her contribution to the industry.
