Audio By Vocalize
Yesterday’s attempted abduction of Standard Group Associate Editor Alex Kiprotich is a deeply disturbing incident that should alarm every Kenyan who values democracy, constitutionalism and the rule of law.
Coming barely a day after President William Ruto launched a public social media attack on the Standard Group PLC, the timing raises more serious questions that demand swift, transparent and independent investigations. What was the main motive?
Whether connected or not, no journalist should ever have to look over their shoulder for simply doing their job. A free press is not an enemy of the State. It is an essential pillar of democracy.
The Standard Group PLC has recently found itself under relentless attacks for publishing stories that hold those in power accountable. Its newspapers, television, radio and digital platforms have consistently reported on matters of public interest, from governance and corruption to economic hardship and human rights concerns. Such journalism may be uncomfortable to those in authority today, but discomfort is not an ailment. It is, in fact, the very purpose of a vibrant and independent media.
