Standard Forced to Delete Story on Raila's Family

Eyebrows were raised on Monday morning, October 14, after The Standard newspaper was forced to pull down its top story hours to the paper's circulation. 

The newspaper had published a story that brought to light a court battle involving opposition leader Raila Odinga's wife, Ida Odinga's court battle over her late son Fidel Odinga's multi-million property.

Quoting sources privy to the goings-on, Business Today disclosed the story was withdrawn after Raila called a senior manager expressing his reservations about the article detailing the fight between his wife and daughter in law.

The paper's editors were then forced back to the office to find an alternative top story, settling on the New Heft Benefits For Teachers as the alternative top story.

Witness reports indicated that The Standard paper did not make it to the stands in time early on Monday morning as was the norm.

Most readers, especially those subscribed to the digital paper were left confused as the e-paper and the physical newspaper had different headlines. 

However, the publication later pulled down the online paper that still contained the sensitive story on the AU Envoy's family, replacing it with the modified edition.

More reports indicated that the media house was also forced to recall the newspaper’s early edition that was destined for Mombasa and Western Kenya.

The incident put to question the publication's credibility as it came just four days after the ODM party leader sued it over a story he termed fake.

The paper had published another top story that alleged that Raila, among other Members of Parliament, was being sought after by Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) over a Range Rover he owned.

Odinga through his spokesperson Dennis Onyango had rubbished the claims stating that he had never owned such a car.

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