Seasoned journalist Chaacha Mwita has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Editor (CEE) for the Standard Group.
In an official notice by the group's CEO, Marion Mwangi, Mwita will be responsible for all content production divisions and content support divisions effective the date of his appointment.
His appointment follows a series of challenges in the media house that saw its former CEO, Orlando Lyomu, forced to resign after overseeing an expansion that almost collapsed the company with debt.
"The Standard Group PLC announces the appointment of Chaacha Mwita as the group's Chief Executive Editor (CEE). In this capacity, Chaacha will be responsible for all content production divisions and content support divisions, reporting to the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) and aiding in the provision of strategic leadership for the entire organisation," the statement read in part.
Mwita is not new to the group. He rejoins the company 10 years after he was allegedly unceremoniously fired over a story he did on State House.
Chaacha, alongside two other journalists, were allegedly escorted by security from the premises on April 4, 2014, after State House demanded his sacking. They were accused of allegedly tainting the State House's reputation over a front-page story exposing the government’s Ksh100 million cabinet retreat at the Mt. Kenya Safari Club.
The report exposed luxurious flights, hotel rooms, and executive services that the government had allegedly spent on the retreat.
Now, the publication has expressed its profound belief that Mwita is the best candidate for the job following his vast journalistic experience, believing that he would continue their agenda of boldness and truthfulness.
"We believe Chaacha's solid achievements as a distinguished journalist and media leader will add value to the organisation as it seeks to reinvigorate its journalism to uphold its tenets of boldness and independence," Mwangi continued in the notice.
Chaacha has a solid foundation in journalism with over 20 years of extensive local and international experience in leadership, communication, and policy engagement.
As stipulated in the notice, the newly appointed Mwita made significant contributions to enhancing editorial capacity in newsrooms across Africa, including Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, focusing on media sustainability, business model selection, and specialisation.
Chaacha holds a Bachelor of Education (Arts) degree from the University of Nairobi, a postgraduate diploma in Mass Communication from the same university, and an MBA from the University of St Gallen, Switzerland.
He joins the company at a time when they have been making headlines and attracting attention over the bold headlines on its daily publications.
