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• A heated media-political conflict has taken a new turn following K24 TV’s involvement in President William Ruto’s continuing dispute with Standard Media Group.
• The station’s comments sparked a heated debate including Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi, former president Uhuru Kenyatta, and MediaMax
• With claims, rebuttals, and public letters circulating on social media, the conflict is gaining significant attention as the 2027 political cycle approaches.

A journalist from .co.ke, Harry Ivan Mboto, has five years of experience covering politics and contemporary issues in Kenya.

What started as a publicconflict between President William Ruto and Standard Media Grouphas now brought K24 Television into the conflict, sparking a new round of verbal exchanges between Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi and former president Uhuru Kenyatta.

The recent developments follow Ruto’s public condemnation of Standard Media Group and its proprietor, former Baringo senator Gideon Moi, alleging that the media company is employing its platform to conduct what he termed a continuous propaganda effort targeting his government.

The president’s comments ignited extensive discussion, with Standardsafeguarding its position as a free pressentity responsible for ensuring those in authority are answerable.

On Thursday, K24 Television, a channel affiliated with MediaMax connected to former president Uhuru Kenyatta, seemed to take a stance by issuing an open letter to Ruto.

In the message, the station condemned Ruto’s criticism of the media, connecting it to the nation’s remembrance of young Kenyans who died in anti-government demonstrations.

“Dear President William Ruto, as Kenya commemorates two years since the passing of young Gen Z demonstrators, your public criticism of Standard Media Group is highly concerning. The media is not your adversary. A free press is not a privilege from the State House. It is a right enshrined in the Constitution. Its role is to pose questions, report facts, reveal shortcomings, and hold authority accountable,” K24 stated.

Oscar Sudi responds to K24 TV

The comments soon drew a reaction from Oscar Sudi, one of Ruto’s most outspoken supporters.

In a strongly worded statement, the MP criticized former president Uhuru Kenyatta for being hypocritical and alleged that MediaMax was being utilized to destabilize the present government.

“Jayden (Uhuru Kenyatta), it appears you have a selective memory. You’ve overlooked the fact that you once said to us, ‘Gazeti ni ya kufunga nyama.’ Now you’re making your own company, MediaMax, work against the current government, which is ridiculous. I notice you’ve aligned with your brother at The Standard (Gideon Moi) in starting these attacks. Welcome to the chaos!” Sudi wrote.

K24 replies to Sudi with a further open letter

A few minutes later, K24 issued another public letter, this time addressed to Sudi.

The station claimed that leaders’ selective memory goes beyond previous statements and should also cover commitments made to the public.

“Dear Oscar Sudi, you have alleged that former President Uhuru Kenyatta suffers from selective amnesia. This statement is powerful, yet it raises a broader question: What does selective amnesia signify in public leadership? Selective amnesia goes beyond simply forgetting what an individual previously stated about newspapers,” K24 noted.

“It is also neglecting voters following elections. It is ignoring the cost of living after the campaigns. It is overlooking young people without employment. It is disregarding parents dealing with school fees. It is neglecting small traders facing high taxes,” the media outlet added.

Sudi once more spoke up, directing his criticism specifically at Uhuru’s government and alleging that the former president left the nation in a state of economic turmoil.

“Selective amnesia refers to when an individual departs the country burdened by significant debts, aware that the new president will face challenges in managing the economy. Selective amnesia is also when someone takes all the money from the country and leaves it with empty treasuries, knowing the nation will fall apart. Selective amnesia occurs when former president Uhuru Kenyatta actually gets drunk and forgets to carry out development. Shame on you, Jayden,” he wrote.