United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Defends Media Freedom While Accusing Sections of Press of Abandoning Professional Ethics

 By Faith wanza 

Photo: Hassan Omar Hassan UDA secretary general 

The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has defended media freedom while accusing sections of Kenya's media of abandoning professional standards in favour of political interests, sensationalism and unverified reporting.

Speaking during a press conference on July 3, 2026, UDA Secretary General Hassan Omar said the party remains committed to constitutional freedoms, including press freedom, but insisted that the media must equally uphold accuracy, fairness, impartiality and professional ethics.

"A free press remains an indispensable pillar of democracy and public accountability. At the same time, media freedom carries an equally important responsibility to uphold the highest standards of accuracy, fairness, impartiality and professional ethics," Omar said.

The party expressed concern over what it described as an increasing trend where some media outlets prioritise commentary, speculation and sensationalism over factual and verified reporting. According to UDA, journalists have a professional duty to distinguish facts from opinion and avoid publishing allegations that are not supported by credible evidence.

The secretary general argued that the circulation of misleading headlines, unverified claims and opinion presented as fact is eroding public trust, deepening political polarisation and undermining informed public discourse.

Omar further singled out several media organisations, including Standard Group, Royal Media Services, Citizen TV and Mediamax's Kameme FM, accusing some of their editors, anchors, producers and reporters of abandoning objective journalism in favour of political activism.

The party also named journalists Chacha Mwita and Linus Kaikai, alleging they had become politically aligned instead of maintaining editorial independence.

"They need to recommit themselves to the professional principles that have historically defined credible journalism, including factual accuracy, editorial independence, balance, accountability, fairness and respect for the public's right to truthful information," Omar stated.

The ruling party claimed that declining professional ethics within sections of the media has weakened public confidence in journalism and allowed personal interests, political narratives and commercial considerations to take precedence over fact-checking and responsible reporting.

UDA further accused some journalists of participating directly in politics and civil society activism, saying those wishing to pursue political careers should resign from their newsroom positions instead of using media platforms for political engagement.

"We invite those responsible to resign from their media roles and join the political arena if they wish to engage in politics. We are ready to square it out in a political duel rather than hiding behind the veil of media freedom," Omar said.

Omar also accused some media outlets of undermining national security institutions by allegedly profiling and discrediting security officials, including Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo and other security agencies.

According to UDA, giving extensive coverage to individuals accused of breaking the law risks normalising criminality, encouraging impunity and weakening public confidence in the rule of law.

Omar also urged Kenyans to strengthen media literacy by verifying information from multiple credible sources before sharing it and relying on official communication channels where necessary.

Despite its criticism, UDA reaffirmed its commitment to engaging professionally and transparently with all media houses while advocating for a media environment that promotes truth, accountability, democracy and national development.

"UDA remains committed to engaging all media houses professionally and transparently while advocating for a media landscape that serves the interests of truth, accountability, democracy and national development," Omar said.