NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 25 — President William Ruto on Thursday escalated his confrontation with the Standard Group by invoking the company’s widely reported salary arrears, hours after the publisher publicly challenged his accusations of “extortionist propaganda” and defended its role as a media watchdog.

President accused KANU Chairman Gideon Moi of hiding behind debt while employees endured months of delayed salaries, describing the situation as a betrayal of journalism and press freedom.

He responded hours after The Standard issued a strongly worded statement defending its journalism, aired an editorial response on prime-time television, and launched a social media campaign embracing Ruto’s challenge to publish critical headlines “eight days a week.”

“Bro, the BILLIONAIRE you are; HIDING behind ‘debts’; forcing many months’ UNPAID labour slaving to defend your STANDARD headlines ‘BOLD’ extortion GANGSTERISM driven by GREED; is HEARTLESS to loyal workers, INSULT to journalism and BETRAYAL to free media that STANDARD once belonged,” Ruto wrote.

Ruto faulted Moi for using “unpaid labour slaving” to sustain what he described as “extortion gangsterism driven by greed.”

The remarks marked a sharp escalation in a row that began on Wednesday when the President accused Moi of using The Standard’s headlines to pursue what he termed a campaign of “blackmail” and “extortionist propaganda” against his administration.

“Moi, your STANDARD media’s 5 days a week EXTORTIONIST propaganda HEADLINES on me & my administration’s transformative track record will get you NOTHING & NOWHERE. BLACKMAIL to yield to your GREED? NEVER,” Ruto posted.

The President further asserted that Kenya belongs to all citizens and not a select few, daring the media house to intensify its criticism.

“Kenya belongs to all Kenyans, not you alone. Jaribu 8 days a week. Do your WORST,” he added.

In response, Standard Group rejected the accusations, defended its role as a media watchdog and questioned what it described as government efforts to frustrate its operations by withholding Sh1.2 billion that the company says it is owed.

“We pose: What greater form of blackmail is there than a government withholding Sh1.2 billion that it owes us, with the apparent desire of frustrating our operations?” the company said in a statement signed by Group Chief Executive Officer Chaacha Mwita.

The media house also seized on Ruto’s “eight days a week” challenge, publishing social media graphics declaring it would print “The Standard 8 Days a Week” to meet public demand and noting that “even the President reads The Standard.”

The Standard’s statement did not directly address Ruto’s allegations regarding unpaid labour.

The latest exchange is the most public confrontation yet between Ruto and the Standard Group, one of Kenya’s oldest media organisations, whose coverage has frequently scrutinised the Kenya Kwanza administration’s policies and performance.

The dispute comes months after a political thaw between Ruto and Gideon Moi.

In October 2025, Moi said consultations with the President had informed his decision to abandon a planned bid for the Baringo Senate seat following the death of Senator William Cheptumo, a move widely interpreted as signalling closer ties between KANU and the Kenya Kwanza administration.

Opposition leaders, including Kalonzo Musyoka and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, criticised the rapprochement, arguing it formed part of Ruto’s efforts to broaden his political coalition ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Renewed tensions have fuelled speculation that relations between the two camps may have cooled, although neither side has publicly acknowledged any fallout.