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By Nicholas Wambua | Lower Eastern Digital Media.
A dramatic standoff unfolded in Kitui this morning after journalists staged a walkout from a press conference called by County Assembly Speaker Kinengo Katisya, in what is being described as a major embarrassment for the embattled Speaker.
According to several members of the Kitui Press, the Speaker had invited journalists for a “special statement,” the details of which remain unclear even hours after the aborted briefing. The move comes amid growing accusations that Katisya has been selectively engaging the media blocking coverage of critical county matters while exploiting publicity opportunities to boost his personal image.
For months, local journalists have accused Speaker Katisya of using intimidation tactics, including deploying police officers to bar or harass reporters covering Assembly proceedings and other key events. Sources within the press fraternity allege that the Speaker has deliberately sidelined journalists whenever stories involve public interest issues such as accountability, governance, and oversight.
“This is a man who only values the media when it serves his self-interest,” said one journalist who requested anonymity for fear of victimization. “When we try to report matters that concern the people of Kitui, we are treated like intruders but when he wants mileage, he calls us as if we are his campaign team.”
The walkout symbolizes a growing rift between the Kitui County Assembly leadership and the local press, which has long demanded transparency and fair access to information. Journalists who attended the event said they were frustrated by the Speaker’s double standards and opted to leave in protest.
Observers say the incident marks yet another public relations disaster for Katisya, who has increasingly come under scrutiny for what critics describe as “pretentious leadership” a tendency to present himself as a champion of openness while allegedly suppressing dissenting voices behind closed doors.
As of Thursday evening, Speaker Katisya had not issued a formal response to the walkout or addressed the allegations of intimidation against members of the press.
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