Standard Group Limited has raised alarm over an alleged abduction of its Associate Editor, Alex Kiprotich, along the Gilgil-Nakuru road, demanding his immediate and safe release.
The media company said Kiprotich was abducted shortly before 9:20pm on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, while travelling to Nakuru.
In a statement signed by Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Chaacha Mwita released on Tuesday, September 1, Standard Group said it did not know Kiprotich's whereabouts at the time of issuing the statement.
“The Standard Group PLC confirms that shortly before 9:20pm this evening, our Associate Editor, Alex Kiprotich, was abducted along the Gilgil–Nakuru road while travelling to Nakuru. We do not know where he is as we issue this statement,” the company stated.
The media house described the incident as the second time Kiprotich had allegedly been targeted in less than three months. According to the company, armed men previously attempted to seize the journalist from his vehicle on June 27, 2026, as he drove to work in Nakuru.
The century-old media house however revealed that Kiprotich managed to escape by locking the doors of his vehicle and driving away.
The company further claimed that the June incident occurred days after President William Ruto publicly criticised the media organisation over its coverage.
It also alleged that its investigations subsequently traced the vehicle used in the incident to the National Police Service's (NPS) Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB).
The Standard Group said no one had been held accountable over the June incident. “Tonight, that threat has been carried out,” the company stated.
The media house linked Tuesday night's alleged abduction to Kiprotich's work as a journalist, noting that he had been at the forefront of its editorial coverage, including stories examining the conduct of the State.
“We do not believe this is a coincidence,” the company said, arguing that the circumstances surrounding the incident suggested that Kiprotich may have been targeted because of his journalistic work.
The Standard Group further claimed that the alleged abduction could be connected to individuals within the State seeking to intimidate the media organisation into silence. Vantage Ke could not independently establish this allegation following the company's statement.
The media organisation warned that if such involvement were confirmed, the matter would go beyond the alleged targeting of an individual journalist.
It said such action would constitute an attack on constitutional protections, particularly the freedoms of expression and the media guaranteed under Articles 33 and 34 of the Constitution of Kenya.
The company also placed responsibility for Kiprotich's safety on the State. “We say this plainly and without equivocation: the Standard Group holds the State responsible for Alex Kiprotich's safety and his life, and for anything that happens to him while he remains missing,” it stated.
Standard Group Demands
The media house has made three key demands, beginning with the immediate, safe and unconditional release of Kiprotich.
It is also demanding a prompt, transparent and independent investigation into the alleged abduction and the June 27 incident.
In addition, Standard Group wants authorities to provide what it described as “real, visible guarantees” for the protection of journalists working in Kenya.
The media company has further called on the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), Law Society of Kenya (LSK), Media Council of Kenya (MCK) and Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) to join the calls for answers.
Standard Group said it would continue updating the public as more information emerges. “We will keep the public informed as we learn more, and we will not let this matter quietly fade from view,” the company stated.
The alleged abduction has raised fresh concerns over the safety of journalists in Kenya, with attention now likely to focus on efforts to establish Kiprotich's whereabouts and determine what happened along the Gilgil-Nakuru road.
Neither the NPS nor the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) had issued a statement on the matter as well as details on any arrests or official confirmation of Kiprotich's whereabouts at the time of publication.
