UDA Takes Aim at Sections of the Kenyan Media Over Alleged Bias, Calls for Greater Accountability
By Gedion Nzyoki -
NAIROBI, Kenya, July 3, 2026 — The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has launched a scathing attack on sections of Kenya's mainstream media, accusing some media houses and senior journalists of abandoning professional journalism in favour of political activism and partisan interests.
Speaking on Friday morning during a press briefing at the UDA headquarters, Party Secretary General Hassan Omar Hassan said the ruling party remains committed to constitutional freedoms, including press freedom, but argued that media freedom must be exercised alongside accuracy, fairness, impartiality and professional ethics.
"We reiterate first and foremost our unwavering commitment to constitutional freedoms, including the freedom of the media as guaranteed under the Constitution of Kenya. A free press remains an indispensable pillar of democracy and public accountability. At the same time, media freedom carries an equally important responsibility to uphold the highest standards of accuracy, fairness, impartiality and professional ethics," Omar said.
The UDA Secretary General claimed that some journalists and media organisations had increasingly prioritised "sensationalism over verification, commentary over facts and speculation over reporting," warning that such practices were eroding public confidence in the media.
Claims of Political Activism
The former Mombasa Senator singled out several media organisations, including Standard Group, Royal Media Services and MediaMax, alleging that sections of their editorial teams had become politically aligned.
"Today's Kenyan media have mutated into political hirelings and are conflicted. Kenyans have lost trust in their reporting," he said.
He also accused some prominent journalists of advancing political interests instead of practising objective journalism, claiming they had "metamorphosed into political opportunists exploiting every situation as political scavengers."
According to Hassan, politicians would increasingly use their own communication platforms to challenge what they consider inaccurate or politically motivated reporting.
"If you choose the path of politics with us, we shall also use our forums to respond. You shall not continue to hide under the fake veil that you erect of independent media," he stated.
Calls for Professional Journalism
The UDA official urged media houses to recommit themselves to the principles of factual reporting, editorial independence and accountability.
"Therefore, you need to recommit your troops to professional principles that have historically defined credible journalism, factual accuracy, editorial independence, balance, accountability, fairness, intellectual rigor and respect for the public's right to truthful information," he said.
He further criticised what he described as attempts by some interviewers to create confrontational television moments instead of pursuing substantive discussions.
Referring to a recent interview involving the Director General of the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), Hassan argued that public servants are responsible for implementing government policies under the mandate of the elected administration.
"It is the party that forms government, not government the party. All of them are expected to work towards the fulfilment of the pledges made by this government," he said.
Encouraging Alternative Platforms
The former senator defended the growing use of digital platforms by politicians, saying social media, blogs and podcasts would increasingly be used to counter narratives carried by mainstream media.
"We must respond in our podcasts, in our blogs, everywhere. We shall respond so that we can be able to give Kenyans alternative sources of information," he said.
He nevertheless urged media organisations to avoid what he termed propaganda, innuendo and unverified allegations disguised as news.
Fake News and Public Trust
The UDA Secretary General argued that public trust in traditional media had declined significantly because of misinformation and poor journalism.
He claimed Kenya had one of the continent's highest levels of fake news, alleging that misleading narratives and distorted reporting had undermined confidence in journalism.
"The erosion of professional ethics and intellectual integrity that has always been associated with journalism has diminished the credibility of journalism in some media houses and some journalists and undermined public confidence in the media as an institution," he said.
Media, Security and Violence
Hassan further accused sections of the media of unfairly targeting senior security officials through repeated negative reporting.
He argued that persistent criticism of security agencies risked undermining public confidence in institutions responsible for national security.
The UDA official also accused sections of the media of normalising violence by giving extensive coverage to unlawful acts during protests.
"We must make sure that we tell our people that violence is wrong. Violence will be punished. There shall be no impunity," he said.
Appeal for Responsible Reporting
Concluding his remarks, Hassan urged Kenyans to verify information from multiple credible sources and rely on official government communication on matters relating to government policy.
He also encouraged media practitioners to restore public trust by embracing professional journalism founded on factual accuracy, fairness, balance and responsible reporting.
"We advise Kenyans to cultivate media literacy by consulting multiple credible sources of information, verifying information before sharing it and relying on official government communication on matters of government agenda," he said.
The UDA Secretary General's remarks came just days after President William Ruto raised concerns about Standard Media Group's reporting.
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