Ruto goes on a rant, accuses Standard Group of blackmailing him through recent coverage

President William Ruto has accused Standard Group owner Gideon Moi of attempting to blackmail his administration through what he described as persistent negative media coverage.

In a scathing tweet on Wednesday, one unusual from the Head of State, Ruto hit out at Standard Media Group over its reporting, saying repeated criticism of his government would not force him to give in to what he termed as 'greed and extortion"

"GMoi, your Standard Media’s 5 days a week extortionist propaganda headlines on me & my administration’s transformative track record will get you nothing & nowhere. Blackmail to yield to your greed? Never. Kenya belongs to all Kenyans, not you alone. Jaribu 8 days a week. Do your worst," Ruto wrote.

His remarks follow a series of critical reports by The Standard and KTN News focusing on government policies, spending, unfulfilled promises and the performance of his administration.

The statement triggered mixed reactions online, with some questioning whether the President’s official account had been compromised, while others viewed it as an expression of his frustration with continued criticism from the media organisation.

Questions were also raised over the wording, punctuation and tone of the post, with some arguing that it did not match the expected communication style of a Head of State.

"Jaribu 8 days a week. Do your WORST." Sir, you're the President, aren't there actual national issues to tweet about?" James Ngunga, an X user, said.

Another user, known as Juliet Njau, added, "Well, is this a president's post? Full stops, no spacing, nothing."

The remarks represent one of the strongest public attacks by President Ruto against a mainstream media house since he assumed office in September 2022.

The Standard has, in recent months, published reports examining government policies, public spending, taxation measures, governance matters and allegations involving state officials.

The media organisation has also highlighted issues around the President’s foreign trips, government expenditure by the Executive, and spending within the Office of the President and the Office of the Deputy President.

At the same time, KTN News has been airing a feature titled “The Gallery of Ruto’s Lies”, which focuses on government promises that have not been fulfilled and stalled infrastructure projects under his administration.

Several allies of President Ruto have previously criticised sections of the media over their coverage of the Kenya Kwanza administration, accusing some outlets of unfair reporting.

Following the President’s remarks, The Standard responded by playing along with his “8 days a week” challenge, announcing that it would print eight days a week despite a calendar week having only seven days.

The exchange between the President and Standard Media Group is expected to fuel fresh debate on press freedom, media independence and the relationship between the government and the Fourth Estate in Kenya.