Muthoka worked at KTN News for two years and three months as a political reporter before his exit.
The woes at Standard Group Limited keep gaining consistency with each passing month, coupled with the rampant loss of talent, as was the case on Wednesday, August 28.
Almost a month after Viral Tea exclusively reported on the shutdown of KTN News under the media house which has been in existence for more than a century, its political reporter David Muthoka announced his departure from the media house on X.
Muthoka worked at KTN News for two years and three months as a political reporter before his exit.
“Today, I have officially left Standard Group, after two years and three months as a political reporter at KTN News,” he announced, adding “For two years I have interacted, learnt and grown and I bid the company goodbye better, experienced and smarter than I was when I entered these doors in June 2022.”
David Muthoka outside Standard Group headquarters along Mombasa Road. /DAVID MUTHOKA.X
Muthoka was previously working at TV47 before joining Standard Group. Throughout his two-year tenure, he has covered political events such as Azimio la Umoja filing its petition at the Supreme Court in August 2022 contesting the presidential election results.
Two weeks ago, he was captured on video doing a live reporting of the Nane Nane protests in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) before police lobbed teargas at him and his cameraman, forcing them to take cover.
He did not immediately reveal his next move, the exit coming as Standard Group risks losing more of its stellar talent to rival media houses at a time its employees have been faced with months of salary crisis.
According to sources privy to the matter who spoke to Viral Tea, the employees are now urging the government to intervene amidst the situation threatening to worsen for them, with others sarcastically calling for American billionaire Elon Musk to purchase the media company over what they claim are shareholders running out of options.
“Another month is closing down and no signs of payment nor is the management keen on communicating the payment issue to them. The management has only advised employees to seek mental support when all they need to solve their woes is their hard-earned money,” a source told Viral Tea.
The woes took a dark turn when a disheartening act which was captured on camera within the headquarters of the Standard Group on Friday, August 16 prompted the century-old media house to settle arrears owed to a content creator.
The content creator, Zanji Mukenya, who prides himself as a video creator, filmed himself standing precariously over a high point within the converged newsroom, lamenting that the media company was yet to settle his dues. At the time, Mukenya presented Standard Group with two options, to either pay him what he owed him or he would take his own life.
Standard Group in a statement explained that “Our attention has been drawn to a distressing incident that occurred on our premises this afternoon involving one of our freelancers, who is currently on a sabbatical.”
“This incident, in which the individual recorded himself in a distressing situation, has profoundly affected us, and we want to express our sincere empathy and concern for our colleague. Following the incident, we were able to address the freelancer’s immediate needs.”
The media house on Tuesday, August 13 announced the resignation of veteran journalist Chaacha Mwita from its Board as a Non-Executive Director, which took effect on July 5, 2024.
Towards the end of July, Standard Group announced its intention to declare over 300 employees across various departments redundant.
Inside Standard Group newsroom. /STANDARD DIGITAL