Zubeidah Kananu Reveals Painful Truth Behind Standard Group Departure

Kenya Editors Guild President Zubeidah Kananu has delivered an emotional address that has sent shockwaves through the media industry, sharing the painful circumstances behind her early retirement from Standard Media Group.

Speaking before industry stakeholders, Kananu recounted the moment she realised she had to leave the newsroom she had called home for 18 years. “I never knew there would come a time when I would leave Standard Group, because journalism is where my passion is… I went to early retirement, not because I wanted to, but because the newsroom was no longer sustainable for me. Working every day, not sure whether I’ll ever get paid… you don’t even know how you got home.“

She described the toll the industry has taken on her colleagues. “We’ve seen colleagues sleeping in the newsrooms. We’ve seen marriages that are broken. We’ve lost at least five colleagues,” she revealed.

Kananu disclosed that upon leaving Standard Group, she was informed her contributions had never been remitted. “When I’m exiting, I’m told your money was never remitted. I know many of you have experienced that and don’t even question, don’t even know whether your money is ever remitted be it NSSF, be it pension money.“

She urged her fellow journalists to start saving no matter how small. “When I joined Standard Group, I used to save 500 shillings. Since I exited last year in September, if I hadn’t saved, my story would be different.“

Kananu also tackled the societal expectations that push journalists into financial ruin.

“Society has set standards for us, especially those of us who are in the public domain. You are supposed to live in certain neighbourhoods. Zubeidah haendi kwa kibanda, haziendi kwa soko, hapandi matatu. That pressure has forced many of us to take loans we cannot pay because we want to please society. We are living a lie.“

She reminded the room that her role as Guild President is voluntary, she does not receive a salary making her own savings all the more critical.