By Our Reporter
KISUMU
Twenty employees of The Standard newspaper have been sacked , including senior editorial staff over allegations of non-performance, scandals and massive financial loses in the floundering Mombasa Road-based giant.
In addition, the media is expected to reshuffle some of its managing editors.
Among the causalities are Senior Editor in Charge of Production Otuma Ongalo, Foreign Editor Andrew Kemboi, Mombasa Bureau Chief Ngumbao Kithi, Kisumu Bureau Chief Anderson Ojwang, sports journalist Benjamin Waindi, online editor Rosemary Nzioka and Administration Officer Peter Murigi.
Several sources erupted in anger, criticizing the Standard Group management for sacking Kithi, who is suffering from a massive cardiac problem.
A few years ago, he underwent a heart surgery in Kenyatta National Hospital. “This is unfair. How can Standard Group sack a man with a cardiac problem. We call upon the management to just reinstate him in his job. How is he going to survive without a job and he is sick,” a source in the group lamented
At the same time court reporter Evelyn Kwamboka has sent to manage Kisumu Bureau and Parliament reporter David Ochami was deployed to manage Mombasa, one of the most important bureaus in the Kenyan political circles.
In addition, the newspaper sacked five designers, touching off a firestorm of criticism. “There is a crisis in the design and graphics and yet the the newspaper has fired five of the best designers,” said a source.
These sackings have left panic in the newspaper, which has was founded in 1902, but has seen its fortunes plummet in the recent years, paving the way for several online news portals and other alternative weeklies. Media critics poured scorm in the latest move. “This is the bullshit of working in the Kenyan media, you never know when you will be kicked out of the company,” Mwangi Ngamate explained from the Cayman islands.
Early this month, the Jackal News reported that Standard group had plunged into pre-election engineering, effecting some of the most unnecessary, perhaps panic-driven changes in senior editorial. We also warned that there were fears of a Tsumani in Mombasa road.
In an earlier reshuffle, Woka Nyawoka was deported from Managing Editor, Weekend Editions and shipped to the Kwashiorkor-ridden County Weekly, paving the way for lackluster Fred Mbugua, who was plucked from the less-prestigious Deputy Managing Editor, Daily Editions.
Experienced Ben Agina was elevated to Senior Associate Editor, Weekend, perhaps to lend a hand to Mbugua, sources claim, explaining that the move was a vindication for Agina who was once news editor.
As a result of a recent 19-25 percent plunge in company overall profits, occasioned by systemic failures in KTN, sources said next time manager are swinging their machete in the television channel that was once the pride of independent TV, but is now a shadow of its former self.
But for now, the major focus in the newspaper, the main pillar of the group since they fear spending so much money on the TV could be counter-productive.
justice be done if the base of dismissing the boss is ethical and proffesional and not malicious, then the boss be sacked.
Justice to be done, this a new kenya
whoever relives its wrong justly say!.
We need perfomers and not those in ICU to manage our campanies if an employee has forfeited his\her job you sack with immediete effect. But i ho-pe the move was not politically based.
For sure standard and KTN were the best media stations but now look at what we have. Ukweli we need the changes.
Not bad news, sack all of them we need them in nation paper which is now top of tops,why not sacnot sack some writers too they have bored us wth rumors attacking personalities but not realities
The main purpose of any business org(apart frm NGOS and Parastatals) is to generate profits for the owners, if those sacked were not doing enough for this to be realised then the employe have no appologies to make.
kweli i have been wondering why the paper has been boring sometimes
even both the saturdays na sundays which i enjoy most.justice be done,.
I also plead with the Standard media management to reinstate Mr. Ngumbao Kithi to enable him manage his health problems as he is suffering from cardiac problems. Thanks.
Its true that a once prestigious media company has gone to the bin!What has happened to you guys?
You have become so so boring such that i don’t enjoy your articles and programs even news.Authoritative station is gone.
If you don’t change or find competent people!Prepared to lose the business.
If it was justified then I don’t see the need of blabbering so long us it is constitutional.Besides,if its politically motivated the lords of impunity should know that their time is at hand
Standard is now strong Mr Shollei Sam has done marvelous; two weeks TV revenue have gone up by 5%, Advertising revenue by 10 and Newspaper sales by 12% . He found out how mangers and directors in editorial, commercial and sales/distribution have been making millions in deals such as lost parcels, under-packing plus over packaging and giving free adverts for clients. The culprits are in total panic as he as started importing his team, Mwenda Mjoka is in, Long live Shollei long live! Staff are waiting for exit of Nelly Matheka, Kizito Namulanda, Katua Nzile, Fred Mbugua, Peter Gichui, John Bundotich, Mark Mulatya and Mike Ndetei.
at last there are traces of justice finding there way in Kenya
employ more of freelancing journalist in the field who can deliver materials than office workers who report to bureaus, editors or bosses to be assigned daily duties. surely with over 100 years in journalism, The Standard has not yet gone internationally. You were the first in print, electronic media (private radio and Tv). improve your services. we still love and read, listen and watch you. ajanga
i shangaa what is wrong with this media, let the constitution work.
we need change.
no problem provided it was done on a honest ground
Non-performers have no place anywhere.We are in a world of competition.
If yoy do not work and produce result,what do we talk?Just go home and have a
rest.I support the group so long as the sacking is done while following the
provisions of the Labor law.
were they taken for an induction,and after perfomance assessment, why couldn,t they think on how they can improve for new peaple are also human beings.if that is how bosses want to manage organizations then better them be sacked also.
Performance is the key, organinzation are out for money, you have to deliver
ktn and standard is boooooring boooooooooooo!political minded trolls.
WONDERFUL REPORTING JALUO! VERY GOOD. “THIS IS THE BULLSHIT OF WORKING IN KENYA’S MEDIA…” HAHAA! BUT WE GET THE NEWS ! DON’T WE?
kenya is a working nation
I DO ALSO RECOMMEND ON THE SACKING IF INDEED THEY ARE PART OF THE PLOT.SO WE CANNOT SPARE ANYBODY ON HEALTH BASIS UNLESS HE IS NOT PART OF THE SCAM.INVESTIGATION BE DONE CULPRITS TO FACE THE LAW WITH NO COMPROMISE WHATSOEVER
i think what standardnewspaper has done is absolutely correct. what is needed is productivity not a crop of idlers with no clear objectives in their mindset.
The rains started hitting the Standard during the reigns of the former deputy chairman and strategic adviser arising from his management style.
Thorough investigation should have been done, do u want to us all those r involved in the scam surely there are innocent pple amoung them,u could have retained the pure ones.
How can all those staff get sacked? but if it was genuinely done i salute