Junet's remarks won't stop The Standard from reporting boldly

Suna East MP Junet Mohammed at the Mini Chambers, County Hall, Nairobi. January 14th,2025 [Elvis Ogina, Standard] For decades, The Standard Group PLC (SG) through its print, broadcast and online platforms, has remained steadfast in its commitment to inform the public, hold the powerful to account, and safeguard Kenya's democracy. We have relentlessly reported on matters of national importance, putting facts first. The live coverage of the June 25, 2025 protests was undertaken with professionalism, care, and an unwavering commitment to truth. It is in moments of crisis that the need for a vigilant media becomes most urgent. Silencing the media only fans the flames of fear and speculation. It is therefore deeply troubling to hear the disgraceful and irresponsible recent tirade made in Parliament by Suna East MP Junet Mohammed against the SG alongside some of its Shareholders, accusing the media house of inciting genocide. To liken any media house to the propagandist machinery of Rwanda's dark past that fuelled the 1994 genocide is not only misleading but grossly insulting to the memory of over 800,000 lives lost in that tragic chapter of history. It is tantamount to dancing on their remains for political mileage. Shame on you! That comparison is not only defamatory; it trivialises genocide itself and is a betrayal of the solemn responsibility lawmakers have to promote national unity and safeguard civil liberties. Worse, it is inciteful and amounts to a blatant advance cover for any politically-instigated bloodbath with the media being blamed. We are alert to it which is why, for instance, we expose political thuggery - the use of goons and the like-threatening tenets of civil and civic engagement. Look in the mirror Hon Junet and make a choice: Politicians are the worst inciteful element in Kenya's civil fabric today! To claim, without evidence, that KTN and The Standard newspaper are "hellbent to create genocide" is not only wildly irresponsible - it is inflammatory, defamatory and dangerous. The remarks, delivered in the chambers of Parliament, carry the weight of State-sanctioned intimidation. They send a chilling message to journalists across the country: That daring to expose the truth may result in character assassination, threats or worse. And we have seen it all, including illegal raids against us by no less than State-sanctioned mercenaries. It also sets a dangerous precedent: that any politician uncomfortable with the truth can hide behind Parliament's privilege to threaten the press into silence. Well, get this straight Hon Junet: We won't be cowed, and, in fact, challenge you to repeat your statements out of Parliament. The media's job is not to please the political class. It is to serve the public. It is to ensure Kenyans see and hear what is happening in their streets, their counties, and their government. Attempts to intimidate the press or discredit its role only speak to a deep fear of transparency and accountability. Yet attempts to intimidate the press or discredit its role only speak to a deep fear of transparency and accountability. And it is not isolated, we see a pattern. For on the same day, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen was threatening the media and spewing more hatred, in a clear case of renewed and coordinated attempts to silence the media by the William Ruto administration. The Standard Group, however, remains clear in its mandate. It remains resolute in its mission to uphold fearless, independent and trustworthy journalism. We stand with the people of Kenya. We will not be cowed. We will not be silenced. We will not be manipulated by political expediency or threats no matter how loudly they are shouted. SG remains resolute in its mission to uphold fearless, independent, and trustworthy journalism. We stand with the people of Kenya. We will not be cowed. We will not be silenced. We will not be manipulated by political expediency, blackmail, or threats no matter how loudly they are shouted. And let us say this: Dragging the name of Hon Gideon Moi into his tirade suggesting links to the architect of the Rwandan genocide, Felicien Kabuga, without a shred of evidence is not parliamentary oversight; it is a personal attack disguised as political concern. It is not leadership; it is intimidation. It is not grounded in fact or law; it is a malicious smear designed to discredit and distract. Hon Moi, like any Kenyan, is entitled to own a business including a media house so long as it operates within the law and adheres to journalistic ethics. There is no law in Kenya barring politicians from media ownership. In fact, other politicians to whom Hon Junet is beholden enjoy the same right. And to use the floor of Parliament to spew unsubstantiated allegations and malign the character of a fellow citizen, without a proper motion, is an abuse of parliamentary privilege. To Hon Junet and others who share his misguided views: If you believe the Standard Group has erred, use the proper channels. File a complaint with the Media Council of Kenya (MCK).Go to court. Present your evidence. Let facts not fury, speak. To fellow Kenyans: We stand with you. We will continue to report fearlessly and fairly. We will continue to shine a light where others would prefer darkness. We will continue to be a mirror reflecting both the beauty and the flaws of our nation. To Parliament: Your job is not to destroy the Fourth Estate; it is to protect it. Do not allow personal vendetta to override constitutional values. When in doubt, look up at the motto inscribed at the door to your chamber- "For the welfare of society and the just government of the people". A free press is not a threat to the people; it is the people's strongest shield. We are not the enemy. We are the people's voice. And that voice will not be silenced.

Junet's remarks won't stop The Standard from reporting boldly

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Junet's remarks won't stop The Standard from reporting boldly

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