The Kenya Editors Guild has condemned the barring of journalists from Standard Media Group and Mediamax from covering a public event, terming the move a dangerous attack on press freedom and independent journalism.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Guild also criticised derogatory remarks allegedly directed at the ownership of The Standard, warning that such rhetoric risks creating a hostile environment for journalists and media institutions.
The editors’ body said the incident, coming just days after the country marked World Press Freedom Day, exposed what it described as growing intolerance toward critical journalism despite public commitments to media freedom.
“The media is not an extension of the State, nor is it a public relations department for those in power,” the Guild, through its President Zubeda Kananu said, adding that journalism exists to question, investigate and hold leaders accountable on behalf of the public.
The organisation accused some leaders of resorting to exclusion, intimidation and public vilification instead of responding to criticism through transparency and accountability.
According to the Guild, denying journalists access to public events based on editorial positions or critical coverage undermines Article 34 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom and independence of the media.
The statement further warned against what it termed the gradual normalisation of hostility toward the press, saying such actions could erode democratic values and open the door to authoritarian tendencies.
“We must ask whether the State has become so intolerant of criticism that it now sees independent media as an enemy to be punished rather than a constitutional pillar to be respected,” the Guild said.
The body called on all public officials, including President William Ruto, to demonstrate commitment to media freedom through their actions and tolerance of scrutiny, particularly when reporting is critical or uncomfortable.
The Guild maintained that criticism should not be viewed as sabotage and urged leaders to respect the role of journalism in strengthening democratic accountability.
