Former Standard Group Editorial Director Chacha Mwita has rejoined the company as a Non-Executive Director, 10 years after retired President Uhuru Kenyatta demanded for his sacking.
Company Secretary, Millicent Ng’etich has said that Chaacha’s appointment was effected on Tuesday, July 4.
“The Board of Directors of The Standard Group PLC wishes to notify its shareholders and the general public of the appointment of Mr Chaacha Mwita as a Non-Executive Director of the Company with effect from 4th July 2023,” said Ngetich.
“A former journalist, Mr. Mwita’s current efforts are focused on connecting African journalists, scientists, policymakers and civil society organisations, to best help shape the news agenda for policy, practice and development,” his appointment statement describes him.
Mwita’s appointment comes just a week after Standard Group’s former CEO Orlando Lyomu was forced to resign after overseeing an expansion which almost collapsed the company with debt.
Standard Group announced a record loss before taxation of Ksh1 billion for the year ending 31st December 2022 from a loss of Ksh22 million in 2021. The company posted an Ksh865 million net loss in the 2022 financial year. The loss in 2022 was the biggest in its 120-year history.
A care taker committee is currently running the company as it seeks to turn around its fortunes.
This is as its two main shareholders Joshua Kulei and Gideon Moi ponder on whether to sell a stake of the company to a new shareholder who will inject the money it needs in order to turn around.
As a non executive director, Chacha will be returning to familiar grounds at the Standard Group Centre along Mombasa Road.
His last memories of the place was when he was escorted out by security on April 4, 2014 after State House demanded his sacking.
Chacha Mwita, Mark Kapchanga and Kipkoech Tanui had been blamed for portraying State House in bad light for wasting taxpayers money on a retreat at the exclusive Mt Kenya Safari Club.
The story revealed how the President’s austerity talk was all empty talk as the cabinet wasted Ksh 100 million on a retreat while the government has all the facilities in Nairobi to accommodate the cabinet for almost nothing.
The Ksh100 million figure was derived from costing of the 120 rooms reserved for the government delegation at the resort, fees paid for closing of hotel to other guests, food and accommodation levies, and the cost of plane-hiring and extra services by the hotel.
At around the same time Mwita is also reported to have insisted that a Jicho Pevu’s investigative story on “What Happened at the Ballot” be run without editing as demanded by former CEO Sam Shollei. The story was blocked from running entirely by Shollei after State House muzzled it.
A few days later, former State House spokesman Manoah Esipisuh who is now the Kenyan High Commisioner in UK summoned the Standard Group bosses to State House for a dress down.
Present at the meeting were Mwita, Irene Kimani (Group Commercial Director) and Enock Wambua (Managing Editor – Sunday Standard).
Apart from demanding for an apology and a retraction of the story, State House demanded for some heads to go. Mwita and the journalist who wrote the story Mark Kapchanga were sent packing.
