Kisiang'ani's downfall a lesson on weaponising power against media

Former ICT PS Edward Kisiang’ani. [File, Standard]

In a dramatic twist of fate, Prof Edward Waswa Kisiang’ani has been unceremoniously dropped as Principal Secretary for Broadcasting and Telecommunications and reassigned as an adviser to President William Ruto.

This follows his controversial directive barring government advertisements in private media, particularly the Standard Media Group, for being “anti-government.” While his reassignment may seem like a routine government reshuffle, it is, in reality, a disgraceful downfall of a man who once used the same media he sought to destroy, to build his own relevance.

Kisiang’ani’s story is a textbook example of political hypocrisy and should serve as a warning to those who believe they can weaponise state power against independent journalism.

Before his appointment as PS, Kisiang’ani was a frequent guest on TV political panels, where he gained prominence as an outspoken critic of the Uhuru Kenyatta administration. He leveraged media platforms such as Citizen TV, KTN, and NTV to push his political views and build his brand as an academic and political analyst.

During the heated 2022 elections, he was a vocal defender of William Ruto’s presidential campaign, using the same media he later sought to undermine to advance his personal and political interests. Kisiang’ani made a name by calling out what he claimed were media biases against Ruto.

Ironically, once in government, he did exactly what he had accused the previous administration of — turning the media into an enemy when it refused to align with state propaganda.

Once he secured a powerful government position, Kisiang’ani wasted no time in trying to silence the very platforms that gave him a voice. His directive that all government advertising be channeled exclusively through the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) was not only a financial attack on independent media but a blatant attempt to control the national narrative.

His war against independent media quickly became a public relations nightmare for the Ruto administration. His move sparked immediate backlash from media stakeholders, legal experts, and civil society, leading to lawsuits and increased scrutiny of the government’s commitment to press freedom.

The Law Society of Kenya took legal action, arguing that Kisiang’ani’s directive was unconstitutional and violated the principles of a free press. The Kenya Media Sector Working Group (KMSWG), a coalition of over 20 media associations, condemned the move as an attempt to financially cripple independent media houses that dared to hold the government accountable.

Soon, it became evident that Kisiang’ani had become a liability to the Kenya Kwanza administration. His dismissal as PS was a desperate attempt by the government to distance itself from the controversy he created. However, rather than holding him accountable, Ruto simply reassigned him as an adviser — an indication that his loyalty was still valued. 

Kisiang’ani’s downfall should be a clear warning to all public officials who believe they can use their positions to attack independent journalism.

The government may protect them for a while, but when the pressure becomes too much, they are quickly discarded. The media is not an enemy of the state — it is the Fourth Estate, an essential pillar of democracy that holds those in power accountable. Those who seek to silence it are bound to fail. His story is also a reminder that political loyalty does not guarantee protection. Today’s enforcer can easily become tomorrow’s scapegoat.

While Kisiang’ani’s removal as PS is significant, it does not necessarily mean the government is abandoning its anti-media tactics. His directive to shift all government advertisements to KBC has not been officially rescinded, meaning private media houses continue to suffer financial strain.

If the government is serious about upholding press freedom, it must rescind Kisiang’ani’s directive and ensure government advertising is allocated fairly across all media houses; stop intimidation of journalists, who expose corruption and government failures and respect the role of the media as an independent institution that serves the public, not the ruling elite.