President William Ruto has launched a scathing attack on The Standard Media Group, accusing the media house of failing to pay its employees despite its owners’ immense wealth.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), President Ruto criticized KANU Chairman, Gideon Moi, whose family is associated with the ownership of the media house.
The Head of State alleged that workers had been subjected to months of unpaid labour while continuing to defend and produce the publication’s bold headlines.
“Bro, the billionaire you are; hiding behind debts; forcing many months’ unpaid labour, slaving to defend your Standard headlines. Bold extortion gangsterism driven by greed. It is heartless to loyal workers, an insult to journalism and a betrayal to the free media that Standard once belonged to,” Ruto said.
The President’s comments appeared to target the financial struggles that have plagued The Standard Media Group in recent years, including reports of salary delays and mounting debts.
The remarks came a day after Ruto also accused the Mombasa Road-based media house of running what he termed as “negative headlines” targeting his administration.
Addressing Gideon Moi, President Ruto said that no amount of criticism from The Standard would make him budge from his position or alter his administration’s agenda.
“Gideon Moi, your Standard Media’s five days a week extortionist propaganda headlines on me and my administration’s transformative track record will get you nothing and nowhere. Blackmail to yield to your greed? Never. Kenya belongs to all Kenyans, not you alone. Try eight days a week. Do your worst,” the President wrote on X.
In his response, The Standard Group CEO Chaacha Mwita defended the media house’s publications, dismissing claims that they are driven by ill motives.
He maintained that the media house remains committed to independent reporting and rejected suggestions that its coverage is intended to undermine the government or advance private interests.
Mwita also highlighted the ongoing financial dispute between the media house and the State, rejecting allegations of blackmail and asserting that the government owes the company Ksh1.2 billion in outstanding payments.
