The Kenya Editors' Guild has strongly condemned the recent directive by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of ICT & Digital Economy to withdraw government advertising from Standard Group PLC, citing serious concerns over press freedom and media independence.
In a press statement, the Guild emphasized that government advertising is not a privilege but a public service that should be allocated transparently and fairly. "This is the third such directive issued by the same government official, raising alarms over the state's commitment to upholding constitutional values, including the right to a free press as enshrined in Kenya's Bill of Rights," the statement read in part.
It warned against the use of taxpayer funds as a tool to suppress independent journalism or influence editorial decisions. "Rather than using advertising as a means to control or interfere with editorial independence, the government should engage with the media sector to address the real challenges facing the industry, particularly regarding sustainability," the Guild stated.
The statement signed by the Guild's President Zubeidah Kananu also noted that any attempts to undermine press freedom, are direct attacks on democracy itself.
