Standard Group has terminated the contract of Mr. Peter Opondo who until his termination on Friday, July 16, was the Media Strategy and Content Editor in charge of broadcast.
The dismissal came just three weeks after an interview conducted by KTN at Deputy President William Ruto’s residence in Karen.
Opondo arrived at Standard Group in February 2021, a few months after resigning from Media Max allegedly after employees’ salaries were reduced by 50 percent due to the vagaries of Covid-19.
He made the announcement about his firing from Standard on Friday, July 16, to his team on WhatsApp.
The brief but detailed message spoke volumes.
“Some personal news. My short stint with SG has come to an end today. The company has terminated my contract effective immediately over what has been described as “unsatisfactory performance”.
“I don’t agree with the conclusion but I accept the decision. Sometimes we don’t always see things the same way and some things are just meant to be.
“So I wish all of you well as you continue with the transformation journey.
Best wishes,” stated Opondo who also had a stint at the Royal Media Services (RMS) as the Editorial Director.
It is not really clear why Opondo left the media house – which is owned by the Moi family – and run by Baringo Senator Gideon M0i.
Ruto Karen interview
As the head of broadcast content, Opondo led an entourage of journalists from KTN and Standard Newspaper to Deputy President William Ruto’s residence in Karen where they held a TV interview in late June.
Some sources at KTN told Mwanahabari.co.ke that Opondo arrived with what many saw as an open mind; pushing to interview even individuals who would otherwise be seen as political ‘rivals’ to an establishment that also seeks to front Gideon Moi.
“I can tell that the Ruto interview was not well received. A part from people up there, a lot of complaints arose from the Newspaper side who claimed they were allegedly sidelined and mistreated by the TV team even though they had gone to see the UDA boss together,” a source from Standard told Mwanahabari.co.ke.
Treated like orphans
Adding: “Some people from the newspaper were treated like orphans, with the KTN guys telling DP’s handlers that they were a different team from the newspaper.”
Matters would later get complicated, according to the source, with drivers, cameramen and other accompanying staff feeling shortchanged by the senior journalists – immediately after the interview.
“The big man is very generous, and yes, he gave the team something small, to appreciate but sisi watu wa chini hatukupata hata kitu,” one of the individuals who attended the interview as a support staff said – but declined to mention names.
‘Bus fare’
“A few journalists made away with the 90 per cent of the money, and left a paltry 10 per cent for the rest of us. In fact, some people only learned the following day that there was ‘bus fare,” said the source adding that it is not uncommon for a politician to appreciate journalists.
Opondo, who fronts himself on LinkedIn as an experienced Digital Editor, joined the station in February 2021 and was in charge of editorial broadcast content.