The Standard Group has been ordered to pay its former Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Orlando Lyomu, a sum of over Ksh34 million in 12-month instalments.
In orders issued by Employment and Labour Court Judge Stella Rutto on April 9, the Mombasa Road-based media house was directed to pay the funds, which are a remainder of an initial Ksh38 million ruling issued in October 2024.
The amount was an accumulation of salary arrears, six months’ salary in lieu of notice, unpaid leave and the bonus for the month of March 2023.
"That the Respondent pays the balance of the judgment amount in twelve (12) equal consecutive instalments, with the first instalment being payable on or before 5th May 2025. Subsequent instalments to be paid on or before the 5th day of every month until payment in full," part of the orders read.
"That the assessed party and party costs in the sum of Ksh1,021,140 be paid in two (2) equal consecutive instalments through the law firm of Nyachae & Ashitiva Advocates on or before 5th May 2025."
On October 16, 2024, the court ordered the media house to pay a sum of Ksh38,342,857 in Ksh750,000 monthly instalments and an additional Ksh1,021,140 in legal costs within three months.
However, by December 2024, the complainant noted that the Standard Group had not met the consent agreement made by the court.
By March 2025, only Ksh4,507,655 of the projected Ksh5,250,000 had been paid to Lyomu, leading him to demand more orders from the court, including the payment of the remaining Ksh33 million in Ksh5 million monthly instalments.
The new ruling will have the media house pay over Ksh2.75 million monthly to its former CEO and an additional Ksh500,000 for two months to settle the court costs of over Ksh1 million.
Orland Lyomu was appointed the Standard Group CEO in May 2018 to replace Sam Shollei, who had resigned months earlier in August 2017.
Five Years later, in June 2023, he stepped down from his seat at the height of a cash crunch that has continued to plague the media house for years.
Most notably, Lyomu had previously served as the Group's Finance Director and Chief Operating Officer.
