The heading above the fold in The Standard online said, “Court jails Kihika for six months over contempt”. The story was published on February 28, 2025.
You clicked on that heading and another one, completely different, popped up: “Court fines Kihika, water agency KShs 2m for lake waste”.
And just like that, the story by Julius Chekpwony lost credibility before you started reading it.
The intro said that a Nakuru court fined Governor Susan Kihika and the head of her county government’s water utility company Sh2 million for disobeying a previous order to stop disposing toxic waste into “the lake”.
The only reference to a jail term was the mention that a petitioner, Baboon Project Kenya, had pleaded with the court to jail Governor Kihika for six months.
But nowhere did the story say the court ordered Kihika jailed. Unfortunately, the misinformation found its way into research-relevant keywords online about Governor Kihika. Under “related topics” one said, “Susan Kihika jailed”. That heading did damage.
Then, sometimes you run into headlines that aren’t worth the paper they are written on, so to speak.
“Ruto explains why he missed morning church service”, said a Star heading on February 23.
Really? Breaking news: the President was late to church. That is news now?
The story by Sharon Mwende insulted readers with how President Willian Ruto reportedly missed the morning service at JCC Mombasa – never mind what that is, not explained – because he was “held up with a tourism agenda”. Big deal!
Look, as a newsman, some things must make you scratch your head. If it’s not worth it, kill it. Journalism should give citizens information they need to know.
Do Kenyans need to know why the President didn’t go to church? Or, pray, why he was late? How will that news impact their lives?
If you must, find an angle that makes sense. A news angle. This was not.
