Nairobi News

NewsWhat's Hot

EXCLUSIVE: How Alai tried to stop NTV from airing expose


Nairobi News has exclusively obtained a phone recording in which blogger Robert Alai issued threats to NTV‘s reporter Dennis Okari in a failed bid to stop the television station from airing its ‘Certificates of Doom’ expose.

Blogger Robert Alai called NTV’s Dennis Okari on Sunday evening, hours to the series being aired, to inform him that he had information the ‘Certificates of Doom‘ expose was bought from another television station.

Here is the recorded Sunday telephone conversation between Alai and Okari.

Alai claimed to have a court injunction that barred the airing of the expose and which NTV had ignored.

In the recorded phone conversation, Alai started by acting as though he had intended to call another person, then on discovering it was Okari on the line, he started asking him why he had not given the college the right of reply.

ONE-SIDED STORY

When Okari replied that he cannot do a one sided story, Alai shifted to the accusation that the expose was filmed by a crew from KTN and sold to NTV.

“…the funny thing is that you left BBC in December and you know there is..eeeh..some people in KTN are confirming that they did the story and sold you the tape,” said Alai in the recording.

Okari then responded that Alai should just wait and see the story then judge whether what people are saying is true or not.

Alai then went on to alleging that there was a court injunction on the matter.

When Okari replied that he was not aware of the court order, Alai insisted that the investigative journalist had communicated (to unnamed people) via text messages on the same.

MEDIOCRITY

Immediately after the conversation, Alai moved to Twitter where he started accusing Okari of mediocrity.

The blogger then tweeted that television station was not being honest, to which NTV acting Managing Director Linus Kaikai replied, “@RobertAlai You tried to intervene on the college’s behalf earlier today with a call to me. Earn your keep but don’t invoke honesty Alai.”

Alai retorted by telling Kaikai to produce evidence of the call.

“@LinusKaikai Produce the phone call and what I said. You also earn your keep through bribery to victimise. #CertificatesOfDoom.”

Alai kept attacking NTV staff and even personally lashed on Kaikai over matters that were away from the expose.

He later included reporter Enock Sikolia in his list of NTV staff that he was trolling, alleging that he was a graduate of Nairobi Aviation College, allegations that the Kenyatta University graduate later denied.