National Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo has dismissed an article in one of the dailies that alleged he had been sued over a plan to acquire spying software.
Kiptoo demanded an immediate retraction of the story and a public apology for what he termed as harm caused to his reputation and character.
“Should the newspaper fail to take corrective action, I reserve the right to pursue all legal remedies available to protect my name,” he stated in a statement posted on X by the Ministry of National Treasury & Economic Planning.
Kiptoo insisted that accuracy, fairness, and professionalism are critical to maintaining the credibility of the media and ensuring the public remains informed of the truth.
“I call on all media outlets to uphold the highest journalistic standards, as enshrined in the Media Council Act and the Code of Conduct for the Practice of Journalism in Kenya,” he said.
The PS noted that the article features his image and implicates him in an alleged plan to acquire classified technology for propaganda purposes.
“These allegations are absolutely unfounded,” he said.
Kiptoo said he has never met or interacted with the individual alleged to have filed a lawsuit.
He added that he has no knowledge of the individual or of any plans by the government to procure the equipment described.
He also dismissed the article’s assertion that "confidential accounts" exist within the National Treasury, from which funds would allegedly be allocated for the purported scheme.
“This is entirely untrue. No such accounts exist, and the operations of the National Treasury are governed by strict legal and regulatory frameworks that ensure transparency and accountability,” he stated.
The PS regretted that his photo was placed alongside the story.
“By doing so, the newspaper has defamed me by implication, creating a false association between me and the allegations,” he stated.
Kiptoo added that even the article reportedly confirmed that no formal agreement was reached with the individual.
“I could have expected thorough verification of facts and fairness in reporting, principles that have been ignored in this instance,” he claimed.