Standard Group Media has addressed a crisis involving an employee who threatened to take his life in a viral video.
In the video circulating on social media, Zanji Mukenya is heard declaring he would leave the Standard Group premises either with his money or dead.
“Hopefully you guys see this when I’m still alive. I’m leaving here with my money or with my life in their hands,” he says in the footage.
Mukenya later revealed in a social media post on August 16 that his threat arose from frustration over delayed pay.
“Happened a few hours ago. I’m okay now. For context, I was fighting for my pay. Most of the Standard Media workers are going through this. This was me on a 3rd floor ledge, ready to die or get my bag,” Mukenya explained.
In response, Standard Media Group announced that it had addressed Mukenya’s immediate needs following the incident. “Our attention has been drawn to a distressing situation involving one of our freelancers, who is currently on sabbatical,” the statement reads.
“This incident, where the individual recorded himself in a distressing state, has profoundly affected us. We want to express our sincere empathy and concern for our colleague,” the statement continued.
Here’s a video of the incident;
This is heartbreaking, someone kindly check on Zanji Mukenya, he’s been work for @StandardKenya
Zanji Mukenya has posted on his instagram demanding his payment else he’s gonna cut his life short.
Depression is real, reach out to him kindly. pic.twitter.com/asQwe8wASy
— KOT Sonko™🇰🇪 (@sonko_254) August 16, 2024
The group also acknowledged the severe impact of the payment delays, especially given the company’s challenging financial circumstances. “Please be assured that we are fully committed to addressing and resolving all outstanding salary arrears and ensuring that pay is up-to-date,” the statement said.
Standard Group journalists have previously complained about going months without salaries, prompting some to leave the media house. On July 15, the Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) revealed that Standard Group owed staff six months of unpaid salaries and called for a clear payment plan to address the debt.
Following this, on July 30, the media house announced plans to lay off over 300 employees, citing the harsh economic environment and shifting trends in the media industry as reasons for the decision.
Earlier this month, Standard Group shut down several TV stations, ending multiple popular programs. The media giant closed KTN News and KTN Farmers TV, among other brands, merging these with KTN Home, which focuses on entertainment and lifestyle content.
Additionally, Standard Group reported a Kes.1.26 billion loss for the year ending December 2023, with total revenue dropping to Kes.2.38 billion from Kes.2.53 billion in 2022. This decline was largely attributed to reduced advertising spending amid a challenging economic environment.
