End of Story: Veteran Court Reporter Paul Muhoho Promoted to Glory

Veteran journalist Paul Muhoho has died, putting a full stop to an invigorating career story for one of Kenya’s prolific court reporters. Muhoho took the final bow on Friday after bravely fighting cancer of the throat, according to family sources.

Muhoho, a man who always dressed impeccably for his job, will be remembered for his journalism in the corridors of justice. He plied most of his journalistic trade at the People Daily, though he started practising court journalism way back in the 1980’s working for different media houses, including the Daily Nation. Muhoho always wore an infectious smile and mentored many journalists , some of whom were the born way after he had mastered his career.

Muhoho shot to fame in 1983 when, as a young journalist and correspondent in Nakuru, he filed a court story that miffed President Moi and his allies. After the reportage, police officers went for him at his home and interrogated him. The story reported how a Daily Nation correspondent Paul Muhoho had authored a story accusing the police of harassment and paying ‘unnecessary’ visits to his home in Nakuru on the pretext of searching for him. The Standard splashed the story of the police response on page one.

“Reacting to a news item carried in page one of yesterday’s issue of the newspaper, which said men claiming to be policemen visited Muhoho’s home at Ojukwu estate in Nakuru last Friday for the fourth time, Tipis said the Government would not tolerate unresearched and unauthenticated stories, whose objective appeared to be causing alarm and despondency,” reported The Standard.

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The story was based on a statement that had been issued by Justus ole Tipis Tipis, a Minister of State in the Office of the President, which hit out at Daily Nation for claiming policemen had been harassing its correspondent.The previous day the minister said the matter had ‘regrettably dragged on for too long without any real evidence or facts on the matter’.

The police had no idea the issue would grab newspaper headlines. Visits to Muhoho’s home were meant to intimidate the correspondent and stop him reporting some sensitive issues, but the plot backfired when the two biggest newspapers started giving the issue more attention than it deserved.

In the process, Muhoho rose to the limelight and his court reporting gained momentum ever since. He is being mourned by colleagues and former colleagues.

Alex Riithi: It is sad the media fraternity has lost a gem, Paul Muhoho. Muhoho was arguably one of the best court reporters with whom we interacted in the corridors of justice for some years. In Muhoho we have lost a dear friend, a colleague and a mentor to many. Go thee well my dear friend, Paul.

Wambua Samii: RIP Lord Dening. A beacon of perfection gone. Paul was so thorough in his job such that you didn’t need to change anything once he filed his story.

Odindo Ayieko: Paul Muhoho, the great court reporter and a father figure to any young journalist who ventured into the field. Always jovial in the newsroom. When we first joined the People newspaper right from college, you were among the senior-most reporters who would welcome us and make life easy for us. You broke the age barriers. News that you have rested have shattered many, me included. Go well Mr Phorro. Court reporting and journalism is poorer without you, but your byline and how you crafted your stories will remain an inspiration.

James Wachai: Oh no! A prolific court reporter and a gentleman per excellence, Muhoho was in a class of his own in matters court reporting. Mild mannered and always respectful. May he rest in eternal peace.

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