The Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK) plans to protest to The Standard Group over its bully and arrogant editor in chief Ochieng Rapuro’s stance on staff.
They are angry at his language, which he uses on women in the office and deem it sexual harassment.
The latest incident happened early this month when Rapuro accused city editor Roselyn Obala of showcasing her legs in the beaches instead of working. This took most staff who were present aback.
The staff wondered why he was using such derogatory language to his own staff when he knows what it means.
“He doesn’t respect his own staff leave alone women who he sees as objects,” said a member of staff.
And following the reports of the issue, the association will meet and write to him and the company and demand an apology and vow he will respect women in the industry.
Rapuro is accused of fighting his staff for his own benefit.
Amwik is a national media Association established in 1983 by a group of women journalists and brings together over 300 women in media to pull their professional skills in giving visibility to women’s concerns.
These members are drawn from different parts of Kenya and work with other media associations and community networks in various counties across Kenya.
AMWIK uses media to embrace gender equity making it possible to improve the lives of women and children by enabling them to enjoy their human rights.
New details have emerged about the arrogant editor.
When the Kemsa Covid billionaires scandal broke out in 2020, many media houses were in the forefront reporting on the developments of the same.
But when it came to The Standard Group, the issue never saw the light. Whereas some staff thought it was because some friends of senator Gideon Moi were implicated and hence the company could not touch the issue.
But they were wrong. It later emerged the then new editor in chief Ochieng Rapuro was behind the silent gag and killing of the stories.
This is because of his connection to a PR company he and CAS for the Ministry of Industrialization, Trade, and Enterprise Development David Osiany ran.
The two alongside Trevor Ombija run the Crestwood Marketing & Communication, which had then won a secret tender to run PR stories for Kemsa. And when the staff tried to do stories Rapuro reprimanded them demanding that they call the then Kemsa CEO Jonah Manjari for a comment when he has already told him not to talk to his own staff.
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At one time, he even approached Nation Business Desk editor Paul Wafula to kill the story of Covid billionaires with a huge offer but Wafula declined the enticement and published the story that led to the removal of Mnajari.
That was and is still a conflict of interest which Rapuro himself is using to fight some staff at the Mombasa Road-based company.
He is still on the payroll of the PR company. He uses the same to fight any story on Housing Finance, KCB and Bidco.
Reporters say if they dare do any story on the companies they will be fought like hell. This was clear when he fought former business reporter Moses Michira who was making an inquiry at Housing Finance for a story.
Rapuro pushed him out accusing him of extortion, which was a lie. He gets handouts from several companies to ensure no negative stories run on them at the company.
“How can he come to lecture us about corruption when he is on a payroll of these corrupt companies?” asked one staff member.
He is being used to sack staff and plans to replace them with his friends.
Up to 20 members of staff have left the company since Rapuro came there. This has left it a shell as no one is there to give out needed content to keep it running. This spans across all platforms.
