The Standard Group PLC has come out strongly to defend itself following criticism from President William Ruto on social media. The President had posted that The Standard's headlines are propaganda and accused the media house of extortion, saying they were using harsh language to push their own agenda.
In a carefully worded press statement signed by Group Chief Executive Officer Chaacha Mwita, The Standard made it clear that they will not back down from their constitutional duty to report the news.
The media house said that ignoring the President's post would have been wrong, even though they normally do not like to respond to statements coming from State House.
The Standard explained that when the President attacked their journalism, they had to speak up. They said the President's criticism showed a deep misunderstanding of what journalism is supposed to do in a democracy.
According to the statement, the media house takes seriously its role as a watchdog for the public and will keep doing this work with professional standards.
They said the President talked about blackmail yet the government is withholding Ksh1.2 billion that belongs to The Standard, and asked how that could be called blackmail. The Standard said their workers deserve to be paid for their work, and that the government holding onto money owed to a private company is the real issue here.
The Standard also reminded Kenyans of something important that came out of the President's own post. The President had written that Kenya belongs to all Kenyans. The Standard agreed with this statement completely and said they would hold him to this promise. They said they would not cheer on any lack of accountability or poor leadership, but they would also support the government when it does good work.
The media house made it very clear in their statement that they are not a propaganda outlet. They explained that their journalism is guided by facts, the public interest, and professional standards.
The Standard said they tell stories as they happen, even when those stories are uncomfortable for those in power. They said they stand by their right to report the news, they support the right of reply for those being reported on, and they work under the Constitution, the law, and the Code of Conduct for journalists.
The Standard also reminded the public that the President himself has said in the past that democracy must protect the media's right to speak up and criticize. They said the President made this promise during the Safari Rally events in Naivasha, when he spoke about how important media freedom is. The media house said the President should remember those words and live by them.
The statement made four key points that The Standard wanted to emphasize. First, they said The Standard is not a propaganda outlet and that their work is guided by facts and professional ethics. Second, they said the media's job in a democracy is to act as a watchdog and should not just celebrate when leaders fail.
Third, they said The Standard does not take orders from anyone and that their independence comes from how they run their business and serve the public. And fourth, they said they will hold the government fully accountable for any harm done to the media house because of the President's remarks.
The Standard Group runs several news outlets in Kenya, including The Standard newspaper, and operates across radio, television, and online platforms. The media house said they will continue to do their work with the same professional care and respect for the Constitution that has guided them all along.
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