Standard Media Group's Associate Editor has been allegedly abducted by armed men along the Gilgil–Nakuru road.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

The journalist, identified as Alex Kiprotich, was forcibly taken from his vehicle on Tuesday, September 1, shortly before 9:20 pm while driving along the highway.   In video footage captured during the incident, armed men are seen attacking the journalist's vehicle, demanding that he lower his screen.   The journalist, who was in the company of another person, is heard screaming, asking for his offense before being dragged out of his vehicle to the abductors' vehicle.

Despite asking multiple times about his offence, the alleged abductors, reportedly security officers, hurriedly carried him to their vehicle before speeding away.   Standard Media Group confirmed the incident in a statement moments later, condemning what it termed as an attempt by the government to silence the media house over its coverage.   According to the Group's Chief Executive Officer, Chaacha Mwita, the latest incident is the second time in as many months that Kiprotich has been targeted.   On June 27, armed men in a Toyota Probox tried to abduct him from his car as he drove to work in Nakuru, but he luckily got away.

"The Standard Group PLC confirms that shortly before 9:20pm this evening, our Associate Editor, Alex Kiprotich, was abducted along the Gilgil–Nakuru road while travelling to Nakuru. We do not know where he is as we issue this statement ," Mwita stated.

📌 What You Need to Know

"This is the second time in as many months that Mr Kiprotich has been targeted. On June 27 2026, armed men in a Toyota Probox a vehicle model repeatedly linked to enforced disappearances of government critics in Kenya, tried to seize him from his car as he drove to work in Nakuru. He got away by locking his doors and driving off," he added.   According to the company, the whereabouts of Kiprotich are currently unknown, and they have vowed to hold the State accountable should anything happen to him.   "We say this plainly and without equivocation: the Standard Group holds the State responsible for Alex Kiprotich's safety and his life, and for anything that happens to him while he remains missing. Protecting the life and liberty of every citizen is the State's first duty, not an afterthought, and Mr Kiprotich's safety now rests entirely in its hands," the statement read.

The company is now demanding his safe and immediate unconditional release, and a transparent and independent investigation into the alleged abduction, including the June 27 incident.

They are also calling for what they termed as Real, visible guarantees that journalists in Kenya will be protected, in keeping with commitments the President has already made publicly and has so far failed to honour.   The incident comes at a time the company has been widely criticised by the government and particularly President William Ruto , who has called out the media house publicly, accusing it of yellow journalism and targeting him.

The Head of State had accused the Mombasa Road-based media house of running what he termed as an 'extortionist propaganda' campaign against his administration, pointing fingers at KANU Chairman Gideon Moi, whose family is associated with the ownership of the media house.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke