It is rapidly emerging that the Kibaki administration has in one short term managed to do more against press freedom than all other previous administrations put together including the dictatorial and at one point extremely repressive Moi era.
The Kibaki government has recently quietly withdrawn all government advertisements from the East African Standard. Those who understand newspaper publishing in Kenya will know that this is a great blow to the country's oldest daily. The government has always been one of the biggest advertisers in the daily print media and this is one of the reasons why Kanu opted to enter the newspaper business in 1983 by acquiring Hilary Ngweno's broadsheet, Nairobi Times and renaming it Kenya Times. In retrospect it was a bad move because newspaper publishing is much more than just gathering lucrative government advertisements for tenders and notices.
Advertisements from the government are extra profitable to newspapers because they do not go through advertising agencies who usually shave off a whooping 18 per cent commission from all the business that they pass on to newspapers. All major spenders have to go through ad agencies for logistical and consultancy support.
In the highly competitive advertising market that is Kenya today, the move by the government could have a serious impact on the group's bottom line if it continues for more than a few months. In other words it is far worse than the raid on the newspaper, which was followed by the burning of newspapers because it threatens the very survival of the newspaper.
Little known secrets about the Safaricom cash machine
Wife cuts off husband's penis flashes it down the toilet.
The surprising real reason why more and more Kenyans are having steamy extra-marital affairs
Woman Murders Her Best Friend To Steal Her Husband As Science Proves That It Is Deadly For Women To Have Casual Sex
How Kenyans can now easily start a lucrative Internet business from any remote part of Kenya for only Kshs 100/-
