Police arrest Kenyan journalists

The journalists are being questioned for another day

Kenyan police have arrested three journalists for publishing a story that claimed the president held a secret meeting with sacked cabinet minister.

President Mwai Kibaki and Kalonzo Musyoka, a member of an political grouping that fell out with the president last year, deny meeting.

The East African Standard journalists were summoned for questioning on Tuesday night and remain in detention.

The paper has criticised Mr Kibaki's handling of recent corruption scandals.

President Mwai Kibaki was elected in 2002 on a pledge to fight the corruption which had characterised the previous administration of Daniel arap Moi.

But a report by Mr Kibaki's former corruption tsar John Githongo has seen the resignation of several of his cabinet ministers in recent weeks.

Mr Githongo accused the president of doing nothing over the Anglo Leasing scam, which involved hundreds of millions of dollars of government contracts being awarded to a phantom firm.

The BBC's Noel Mwakugu in Nairobi says the arrest of the two Standard editors and a reporter is raising fears about the freedom of the media.

Information Minister Mutahi Kagwe has hinted that new media laws to govern operation of the press are being drafted, he says.