Two Standard Group journalists were denied entry to State House, Nairobi, on Saturday to cover an event. This is despite receiving an invitation to cover a joint press briefing by President William Ruto and visiting Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar.

President Musar is in Kenya for a three-day state visit. After waiting for more than three hours outside State House Gate D alongside other reporters, a plainclothes police officer arrived around 11.30 am and called the group closer.

Accompanied by a uniformed officer, she began reading out names from a printed list for verification.

The names of the two Standard Group journalists were not on the list.

As the rest of the accredited media personnel were ushered in, the Standard Group journalists were left behind. 

"Na hawa? (What about them?) The officer posed to her colleague, gesturing towards us. "KTN," the journalists replied in unison.

The denial of access has raised concerns about potential discrimination, possibly linked to the Standard Group’s critical coverage of government affairs. The Standard