Citizen TV news anchor Waihiga Mwaura hosted National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wa and Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi for an interview on Monday night 28, 2023.
During the interview, Waihiga and Ichung'wa heatedly debated while discussing the Azimio la Umoja protests and attacks on private property.
Right off the bat, the MP accused Citizen TV of editing out footage from an earlier press briefing he had in Parliament, and only airing the bit where he spoke about the attack on Northlands Farm, owned by the family of former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The MP defended that he had only issued a cautionary statement to the Kenyatta family because as a politician, he understood people's sentiments on the ground.
"The concerns that are there with the people is that the people financing this anarchy are financing this anarchy yet their businesses are going on as usual, nothing is happening to their businesses," the legislator said.
He claimed to have received credible infomation that Kenyatta was financing anti-government protests through Odinga.
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However, Waihiga challenged the MP's statement, accusing him of singling out the Kenyatta family without proof.
He also questioned the timing of the statement, which came just days before the attacks on the Kenyatta and Odinga properties.
During the interview, Ichung'wa also accused the news anchor of interjecting him and said he was ready to leave the show if not allowed enough time to speak.
"You will allow me to speak. If you don't want to allow me to speak you can as well ask me to walk out. I can't be saying something and you interject. Why did you invite me here?" the MP asked, to which Waihiga responded "You asked to be here".
The discussion then shifted to the Azimio la Umoja protests, which have been ongoing in Nairobi.
Ichung'wa defended the government's position, stating that while peaceful protests are allowed, any form of violence or destruction of property is unacceptable.
He challenged the station to give the vandalism of Muindi Mweusi Supermarket in Embakasi and other businesses owned by ordinary Kenyans the same prominence on air as the attack on Northlands.
"Your cameras were blind to a police car going up in flames right here on Ngong Road. Police officers are being stoned and injured everyday in the full view of Citizen TV and other mainsteam channels," he said.
In a rebuttal, Waihiga defended the station's coverage and reminded the MP that he was big consumer of Citizen TV news and why he had requested to be on the show.
"I am a big consumer of this station and that is why I asked to appear on this show," Ichung'wa stated.
"This could be my last show on this TV but for heaven's sake I'll tell you I don't care. There are things we must do and say for the sake of our country. If even if you the media become part of a script to create anarchy and chaos in this country we are going to lose this country," Ichungwa stated.
The MP accused the station of supporting the opposition, adding that President Ruto won the election despite what he termed unfair coverage.