Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Tuesday, March 21, triggered widespread condemnation after he asked his supporters to boycott services and products from a host of Kenyan brands.
In a press conference, Odinga sensationally claimed that the firms were the "enablers and facilitators of the Kenya Kwanza regime."
However, his directive targeting The Star newspaper sparked outrage from members of the fourth estate who stood in solidarity with the Radio Africa Group-owned entity.
In an editorial piece on Tuesday, March 21, The Star newspaper, without mincing words, called out Azimio and its leadership for organising protests based on the coalition's quest for electoral justice. The article poked holes in the evidence advanced by Azimio to prove electoral injustice, describing it as inadequate.
Further, the editorial questioned why the coalition failed to adduce evidence of the electoral malpractices alleged by its leaders during the window of resolving electoral disputes at the Supreme Court in 2022.
The Newspaper also advanced that the Monday, March 20, protests witnessed a low turnout by politicians allied to Azimio, which the editorial noted was an indication that events overtook Odinga's protests.
"Raila failed to produce a single forged form 34 A in his petition to the Supreme Court which therefore rejected it," the editorial read in part, asking Odinga to call off the demos.
However, the newspaper backed Odinga's agitation to review the factors influencing the cost of living. In the editorial, The Star warned the government against ignoring the concerns about the high cost of food and fuel products.
"Nevertheless, Raila's appeal on the cost of living has resonated with the masses. He has gained popular support by highlighting the rising cost of food and fuel. The government should not ignore how sensitive this matter has become for ordinary people," the editorial piece continued.
In a rejoinder, Radio Africa Group's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Robert Quarco defended the organisation reiterating that The Star had always remained neutral and objective in its reporting. He added that the newspaper has won several awards for promoting free journalism.
"In its 15 years of existence, the Star has remained neutral in its coverage of political events across the country. The newspaper has received awards for its objectivity over the year and presently runs Kenya's biggest news website," the statement read in part.
The Media Council of Kenya, (MCK) also condemned the attack on the media, describing Odinga's directives as an impediment to the independence of the press.
MCK noted that the reservations against the content published by The Star were "efforts to manipulate public opinion and limit freedom of the press, which are both fundamental components of a healthy democracy".
"Such attacks undermine the freedom of the press and are attempts to undermine the role of the press in freely informing the electorates based on the editorial judgments," part of a statement signed by MCK CEO David Omwoyo read.
