Standard loses key political writer

NAIROBI – The exit of journalists from Kenya’s oldest newspaper continues, with Sunday Standard political reporter Gakuu Mathenge calling it a day.

Mr Mathenge, who been the pillar behind robust political reporting for the Saturday and Sunday titles, is going into business, according to sources at the Standard Group Centre. “He leaves behind a big gap as he had many inside political sources, especially from the Party of National Unity,” the source added.

Mr Gakuu, who once worked with Nation Media Group’s Sunday Nation, is a major loss for the weekend team at Standard at the media house, seen as ODM-leaning, which had used Mathenge to balance their political reporting.

“That guy is a businessman,” said the source. “It’s obvious he is going into business.” But some sources said he could be headed to a local newspaper (report coming soon) that is building a new team for the launch of a Sunday newspaper.

His exit comes amid reports that Alex Kiprotich, another key writer in the paper would be leaving Standard Group for Kabarak University as a Communications Manager.