Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi has joined the growing public clash between President William Ruto’s allies and the Standard newspaper, dismissing the publication’s Thursday front page honouring Kenyans killed during last year’s anti-government protests.
The newspaper dedicated its front page to the victims under the headline “Our Heroes”, featuring photographs of dozens of those who died during the June 2024 demonstrations. It also carried an editorial declaring that it would not bow to what it termed blackmail.
Reacting to the publication, Sudi accused the Standard of pushing a political agenda against President Ruto while challenging the media house to also account for deaths that occurred during the late former President Daniel arap Moi’s administration.
“This was the devil that came for our children and we lost them. We will not stand by and lose any more. But tell me, under your father’s leadership, how many lives were lost? ” Sudi posted.
His remarks came just a day after President Ruto launched a scathing attack on Standard Group proprietor Gideon Moi, accusing him of using the newspaper to fight political battles against the government.
The President later escalated the row by claiming Gideon had failed workers at the media house, alleging that employees had gone for months without salaries despite him being a billionaire.
The latest exchange has now shifted the confrontation from newspaper headlines to the legacy of the Gen Z protests, with the anniversary of the June 25 demonstrations becoming the latest battleground between the government and one of Kenya’s oldest media houses.
The newspaper’s tribute was published as Kenyans marked one year since the anti-Finance Bill protests that culminated in the storming of Parliament and left dozens of people dead, sparking demands for accountability from human rights groups and families of the victims.
With neither side showing signs of backing down, the public fallout between State House and the Standard appears to be deepening, setting the stage for yet another round of political exchanges over the newspaper’s coverage and the events surrounding the June 2024 protests.