NAIROBI, Kenya — Constitutional lawyer and former presidential adviser Prof. Makau Mutua has sided with President William Ruto in the escalating public dispute between the Head of State and Standard Group, accusing the media house of abandoning journalistic ethics and unfairly targeting the Kenya Kwanza administration.
In a strongly worded statement posted on social media Thursday, Mutua defended President Ruto while launching a blistering attack on Standard Group, its editorial direction, and its treatment of employees.
“It’s FACT Standard Group is a parasitic enterprise devoid of empathy for its workers and bereft of journalistic ethics,” Mutua said.
He further claimed that the media house’s sustained criticism of President Ruto could only be explained by hostility on the part of its ownership.
“Its toxic obsession with William Ruto and his administration can only be explained by a deep hatred by its ownership. This isn’t press freedom, but the most venomous abuse of democracy,” he added.
Mutua’s remarks come amid a deepening row between President Ruto and one of Kenya’s oldest media organisations.
The confrontation began after The Standard published a series of front-page headlines and commentaries critical of the government’s performance, governance record, and handling of key national issues. President Ruto responded by accusing the media house of conducting what he described as an “extortionist propaganda” campaign against his administration.
In a social media post earlier this week, the President directly challenged Standard Group proprietor Gideon Moi, dismissing the newspaper’s coverage as blackmail and insisting that his government would not be intimidated.
“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,” Ruto said.
The Standard subsequently issued a formal statement defending its editorial independence and rejecting the President’s accusations.
The media house maintained that its journalism is guided by facts, public interest and professional ethics, arguing that holding leaders accountable is a central function of a free press.
“We take great exception to the President’s characterisation of our journalism,” the company said, adding that its reporting seeks to inform the public and scrutinise those in power regardless of political considerations.
The company also alleged that the government owes it unpaid advertising and service-related bills, claiming the arrears have negatively affected its operations.
President Ruto later escalated the exchange, accusing Standard Group’s ownership of using claims of unpaid government debts to shield itself from criticism while allegedly failing to pay employees for extended periods.
“Bro, the BILLIONAIRE you are; HIDING behind ‘debts’; forcing many months’ UNPAID labour slaving to defend your STANDARD headlines extortion GANGSTERISM driven by GREED; is HEARTLESS to loyal workers, INSULT to journalism and BETRAYAL to free media that STANDARD once belonged,” the President posted.
Mutua’s intervention places him firmly on the side of the President in a dispute that has reignited debate over the relationship between political power and the media in Kenya.
The exchange has drawn significant public attention, with supporters of the government accusing sections of the media of political bias, while media freedom advocates have defended the right of news organisations to scrutinise public officials and government policies without intimidation.
As the war of words intensifies, neither President Ruto nor Standard Group appears willing to retreat, setting the stage for a continued confrontation over accountability, press freedom, and the role of journalism in Kenya’s democracy.