The Standard Group has condemned a protest staged outside its Nairobi headquarters along Mombasa Road on Friday, accusing a group of youths who said they were speaking on behalf of President William Ruto and the Kenya Kwanza administration of harassing staff and hurling profanities at the company.

"The Standard Group PLC condemns, in the strongest terms, the unwarranted protest and name-calling outside our premises along Mombasa Road today," the company said in a statement. It described the incident as "an affront to media freedom, democracy and legitimate business," citing Articles 33 and 34 of the Constitution, which guarantee freedom of expression and media freedom. The company acknowledged that Kenyans have a constitutional right to protest and present grievances publicly, but said threatening journalists and intimidating media houses does not qualify as legitimate protest: "Threatening journalists, intimidating media houses and punishing independent voices is not protest. Laying siege to Standard Group PLC is not one of them." The company said it would continue its journalistic work despite the incident.

The protest had been anticipated. Days earlier, Standard Group raised security concerns after a group identifying itself as Bunge la Mwananchi announced plans to mobilise more than 5,000 people for a demonstration at the company's offices on Oct. 2, accusing the media house of consistently publishing reports critical of Ruto. The company reported the matter to South B Police Station and notified the DCI in Makadara, saying the security measures were precautionary and intended to protect staff and premises. It said then it would "remain firm and continue to hold accountable leaders in the country."

Part of a wider pattern

Friday's incident follows a period of heightened tension between Standard Group and figures aligned with the government. The media house has separately said it believes it lost a government advertising contract over its reporting, a move that prompted a public show of support under the banner "Stand With The Standard," with Kenyans online and civil society groups urging the public to buy the paper's publications directly in response. The company has also previously accused state authorities of illegally shutting down live television coverage during protests, and has reported receiving intelligence about a possible raid on its Mombasa Road offices in connection with that earlier dispute. Human rights defenders, led by activist Bob Njagi, publicly condemned Friday's protest as an attempted attack on the Standard Group's headquarters.