Some Members of Parliament (MPs) have reprimanded journalists for dressing poorly.
The MPs revived the push to stop journalists from covering Parliamentary proceedings after news of how the law makers squandered tax payers money in top hotels during the post election seminar in Mombasa was reported in the media.
Kitui South MP Rachel Nyamai on Wednesday, February 1 criticized young journalists for dressing inappropriately insisting that the National Assembly should tame them.
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“There seems to be a gap between the way Parliament conducts its self in terms of the way people dress and the big team of the journalists that we have. Is there a way we can have a conversation with our leadership? This is especially with the young journalists who can up their game on their appearance because it is a big concern ,” Nyamai said.
The law maker defended her view on how reporters covering house proceedings dress by stating that the National Assembly has respectable people including parents.
Responding to the concern of MPs, Media Council of Kenya (MCK) Chief Executive Officer David Omwoyo said he will pass the message to media houses adding that even State House has a dress code.
Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi also berated journalists who cover house proceedings stating that they do not report the news objectively.
“There is a disconnect between what happens in Parliament and what they report. You would think they are reporting from somewhere else,” Wanyonyi said.
Responding to the concern raised by MPs, former Kenya Parliamentary Journalists Association chair Roselynne Obala condemned the lawmakers for accusing journalists of dressing poorly.
“There are laid down rules globally in Parliament on dress codes. Parliament has orderlies at the gate who, if you are not dressed properly , will not allow you access not only for journalists but even MPs. I have never heard an MP raising concern about how a journalist dresses. This is a witch hunt,” Obala said.
Obala further stated that Parliament is a public institution which any Kenyan is allowed to access adding that MPs should and can not control what the media reports.
“Journalist are guided by editorial policies of media houses. So when journalists come to a parliament they do it for the public interest,” Obala added.
