'Nation' sacks Dennis Galava over editorial critical of President Uhuru

NAIROBI: The 'Nation' editor who wrote a New Year editorial critical of President Kenyatta's leadership has been dismissed after a two-week suspension.

Dennis Galava, who was Nation Media Group's managing editor (ME) in charge of special projects, appeared before the company's disciplinary committee on Monday. Wednesday, he was handed a letter dismissing him with immediate effect.

Mr Galava had been on suspension for writing the editorial, which was published in the January 2 issue of the Saturday Nation headlined "Mr President, get your act together this year".

The sacking letter accused him of disobeying the company's editorial processes and procedures and of gross misconduct.

At his suspension, the company said Galava had ignored the procedures, which required broad consultation before such an editorial could be published.

The commentary cast the Jubilee government's three years in power as a failure and urged the President to "walk the talk of executive probity and nationhood this year".

Editor-in-Chief Tom Mshindi had stated that action was being taken against Galava, not for the views the editorial expressed, but for the manner in which it was handled.

Galava is a former ME of the Saturday Nation and only recently returned from a year's study leave in Britain. On Wednesday he told The Standard: "I wrote dozens of critical editorials at Nation and the procedures cited in my dismissal letter never applied. I am also familiar with the company's editorial policies and procedures and they have no such provision."