Lamu Senator Anwar Loitiptip has threatened a reporter from the Star Newspaper as she sought a response on allegations touching on the legislator.
In a phone conversation, the reporter reached out to the Lamu Senator to seek his response on allegations that he has not been taking care of a child he sired with Saumu Mbuvi.
Being aware that the phone conversation was being recorded, Anwar Loitiptip fired some warnings at the reporter.
“I want to put you on record like you always do, Mimi kunipigia simu uwache kunipigia simu with that stupid question. I will have to report you to your boss. All the time…now this is the third time you are asking me, this is 2022, a different year. Let us be focused on the agenda that we have. Usiwe unanipigia na mambo ya sijui being a deadbeat. Stop asking me stupid questions please, Umesikia? Have you heard me? I will report you to your boss, nitampigia directly,” Anwar said in a phone call.
The reporter explained to Anwar that she was seeking his response on the allegations for balanced reporting.
He added;
“This is my political career, why do you have to write something that is not important? Wacha nikuulize, ni watu wangapi huko nje wamekosana or have issues with their relationships. Waheshimiwa wangapi? Do you ask them? Do you go on poking people’s relationships and marriages? Get a life, because you will write and then it will tarnish my name, so what will you do? At this time of the year, with politics. Why can’t you ask me political questions?”
Is the Star following people’s private lives? If you write…even me I am doing it on record…I have warned you and I will tell your boss any legal directions I will take, usinilaumu. Umetumwa, unataka kuniharibia jina. If you dare spoil my name…I am telling you on record, I will tell your boss and take legal action. Mimi sio mtu wa kuchezewa hivyo, niulize mambo ya Lamu, kazi yangu ya senate… but private life tuheshimiane.”
Shortly, the Senator sent the reporter one shilling through M-Pesa.
What followed was a text message where the Senator sent the journalist details of her name and phone number.
He accompanied it with a Whatsapp message, “Star news reporter. This will be your last time poking people’s affairs.”
Image: STAR
In a Q&A on her social media, Saumu Mbuvi had been asked whether the Senator is supporting her child.
“Deadbeat kabisa, has never supported a thing,” Saumu responded.
The Code of Conduct for the practice of Journalism requires reporters to give balanced reporting.
As such, the journalist was seeking Senator Anwar Loitiptip’s response to the accusations made by Saumu Mbuvi in order to give balanced reporting.
A number of Kenyan journalists endure threats, harassment and physical assault in the line of duty.
Image: STAR
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