Thursday, March 23, 2023 – Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga has lifted ban on The Star newspaper. The Orange Party has issued a brief statement.
The ODM Party official Twitter on Thursday March 23 reported that the ban which was announced a few days ago was over and that supporters can continue to buy services in the newspaper.
“The boycott on the @TheStarKenya has been lifted,” ODM updated.
And reacting on the development, Group Chief Executive Officer CEO at Radio Africa, Patrick Quarcoo, pointed out that the Star has over the years, reported and criticised all political sides fairly.
“Raila calls off The Star newspaper boycott.
“Fair comment has been our guiding principle.
“To, therefore, single out the Star for attack, Raila and the Azimio leaders are wrong. The call is not just an attack on the freedom of the media, but puts the lives of those working for the Star at risk,” he had said.
Just after Raila had announced the ban on three major businesses in the country among them Safaricom, the Media Owners Association and the Editors Guild joined in the condemnation in separate statements and urged Azimio to follow the law in addressing their grievances.
“The Media Owners Association believes this is an attack on press freedom since not a single complaint has been lodged with the company or Media Owners Association,” MOA Chairman Stephen Gitagama said on Wednesday.
The Kenya Editors’ Guild President, Churchill Otieno, described the statement by the Azimio leader as an insult to media freedom.