The Head of Presidential Special Projects and Creative Economy, Dennis Itumbi, has once again taken a swipe at the Standard Media Group, accusing it of abandoning its role as a media outlet and turning itself into a political player.
In a strongly worded statement shared on his official X account on Sunday, August 31, Itumbi, a close ally of President William Ruto, dismissed the newspaper’s reporting as “fake news” and a “total shame” to the country’s media industry.
“Dear Standard Group, please open a newsroom and convert it into a political party, and then bring your manifesto. You should tell us the editor who wants to be the presidential candidate. Your daily fake commentary presented as news is a total shame to journalism,” Itumbi wrote.His criticism followed the paper’s weekend headline, “Unmoved by outcry,” which profiled Health CS Aden Duale, Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen, and Transport CS Davis Chirchir all of whom have recently come under heavy fire over issues in their ministries.
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Duale has been battling mounting allegations of fraud at the Social Health Authority (SHA), Murkomen has faced public anger over worsening insecurity in parts of the country, while Chirchir has been under pressure to address Kenya’s rising road accident deaths.
The Standard’s story was unflinching, suggesting that the three CSs remain in office not because of performance but due to their close ties with President Ruto.
“Costly friendship. They have survived scandals that would have ruined lesser men from the looting of billions under their watch, to questionable oil imports, a high death toll from road accidents, and serious human rights abuses,” the piece read in part.The article went on: “But Aden Duale, Davis Chirchir, and Kipchumba Murkomen remain untouchable, shielded not by performance but by their unbreakable bond with President William Ruto. In Ruto’s inner circle, survival is not about service; it is about loyalty, and scandal is merely the cost of doing business.”
In response, Duale, speaking in Narok on Saturday, August 30, dismissed the criticism, insisting that resistance to reforms in the health sector was being driven by powerful cartels.
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He pledged to remain firm, invoking the legacy of former Transport and Environment Minister John Michuki, who was known for his uncompromising style in government.
“We will not gamble with the health of Kenyans, and as President William Ruto has said, we will make the healthcare of our country accessible and equitable,” Duale said.
Reviewed by Jack M
