United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary General and Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar Hassan has accused sections of Kenya’s mainstream media of abandoning professional journalism and engaging in partisan political activism aimed at discrediting President William Ruto’s administration.
Speaking during a press briefing at the party’s headquarters, Hustler Plaza, on Friday, Omar claimed that some media houses had departed from the principles of fairness, objectivity and balanced reporting, opting instead to advance political interests.
“The constitutional freedoms enjoyed by the media come with responsibility. Unfortunately, some sections of the media have chosen to spread misleading narratives, sensational headlines, unverified allegations and outright misinformation, which undermines public trust and weakens democratic discourse,” Omar said.
The UDA Secretary General specifically pointed to media outlets associated with former President Uhuru Kenyatta and KANU Chairman Gideon Moi, alleging that their editorial positions increasingly reflect the political interests of their owners rather than serving the public interest.
“Former President Uhuru Kenyatta and Gideon Moi have increasingly transformed their media platforms into instruments of political opportunism, seeking to exploit every national issue for partisan advantage while advancing narrow political interests at the expense of national unity and development,” he stated.
Omar further accused the leadership of the Standard Group and MediaMax Network Ltd of departing from the core journalistic values of accuracy, fairness and balance.
He also took aim at journalists whom he said had blurred the line between journalism and political activism.
“If you have chosen to become a political activist, civil society campaigner or partisan mobiliser, then you should leave the newsroom and seek elective office. Journalism demands independence, objectivity and credibility,” he said.
The senator singled out Standard Group editor Chacha Mwita and Royal Media Services Editorial Director Linus Kaikai, accusing them of allowing personal political views to influence news coverage and demonstrating consistent bias against the government.
Despite the criticism, Omar maintained that UDA remains committed to upholding constitutional freedoms, including media freedom, but insisted that such freedoms must be exercised responsibly.
“We fully support media freedom as guaranteed by the Constitution, but that freedom must be anchored on truth, fairness, accountability and the national interest,” he said.
The remarks are likely to reignite debate over the relationship between the Kenya Kwanza administration and sections of the mainstream media, with government officials in recent months repeatedly accusing some media houses of biased reporting and political activism.
Among those present during the briefing were former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero, UDA National Executive Committee member Cecilia Wairimu, party directors and other senior party officials.
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