By Linda Muhanji
Journalists from the Standard Group were on Saturday denied access to State House Nairobi during the official visit of Slovenian President Natasa Pirc Musar, raising fresh concerns over press freedom and government-media relations in Kenya.
While media representatives from other outlets were granted clearance to cover the high-level diplomatic event, Standard Group reporters were reportedly singled out and barred from entry. Sources familiar with the incident, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the exclusion followed specific instructions, although no formal communication explaining the decision has been issued by State House officials.
The move follows a recent editorial published by The Standard on Wednesday, which labeled Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen a “Below Average CS” in a strongly critical piece. The headline reportedly unsettled senior government officials, escalating tensions between the media house and state actors.
In response, CS Murkomen defended public servants, particularly police officers, emphasizing the complex challenges law enforcement faces in maintaining national security and urging critics to appreciate these difficulties.
Adding to the strained relations, Standard Media Group experienced a technical disruption on May 23 that temporarily took its broadcast services — including KTN, Radio Maisha, Spice FM, and Berur FM — off the air. The company attributed the outage to a technical fault and reassured audiences that online streaming remained available as repairs were undertaken.
President Musar arrived in Kenya for a series of bilateral engagements and is scheduled to be the Chief Guest at the upcoming Madaraka Day celebrations in Homa Bay County on June 1. Her visit focuses on strengthening cooperation in economic development, regional security, and multilateral partnerships, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Earlier in the week, President William Ruto held talks with the Slovenian leader at State House, exploring opportunities for trade enhancement, digital transformation, and peacebuilding initiatives across East Africa and Europe.
By press time, neither the Standard Group nor State House had issued official statements addressing the barring of journalists from the event.
The incident has sparked renewed debate about the state of press freedom in Kenya. Media rights advocates warn that selective exclusion of certain outlets based on editorial content threatens constitutional guarantees under the 2010 Constitution, which protects freedom of the press and the public’s right to information.
“Press freedom is a cornerstone of democracy,” a media rights spokesperson said. “Denial of access to journalists because of critical reporting undermines transparency and accountability.”
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