Standard Group Fires Back At President Ruto

By Mary Wavinya

The Standard Group has strongly rebuked President William Ruto after he accused the media house of running “extortionist propaganda,” insisting it will continue holding the government accountable and reporting facts without fear or favour.

In a statement issued Wednesday by Group Chief Executive Officer Chaacha Mwita, the media house rejected the President’s criticism of its journalism and described his remarks on X as an attack on the independence of the media. The response came hours after President Ruto publicly accused Standard Group owner Gideon Moi and the media house of using negative headlines to blackmail his administration.

The President, in a post on his official X account, claimed that repeated critical coverage by the media house would not force his government to yield to what he termed as “greed and extortion,” declaring that Kenya belongs to all Kenyans and challenging the publication to “do your worst.”

The Standard Group justified the necessity of its address to the president since he had directly targeted the organization and questioned the credibility of its journalism.

The Standard Group’s CEO, Mwita, stated that it’s not the role of the organization to praise those in power but instead to scrutinize leadership on behalf of the public.

The media house further defended its editorial independence, saying it does not take instructions from any individual, political leader or public office. It emphasized that its journalism is guided by facts, public interest and professional ethics, adding that credibility remains the foundation of its service to Kenyans.

In reference to the president’s words during a safari  rally in Naivasha, the Standard Group, pointed a reminder to the head state of how the president had showed his understanding on the importance of protecting the media’s right to criticize those in power and the company now stated that it expected the president to uphold that commitment.

The statement also warned that any threats, intimidation or harm directed at the media house, its journalists, management or shareholders following the President’s remarks would be viewed seriously, with the company promising to hold the government fully accountable.

This confrontation has left debates among many over the relationship between political power and the press freedom.