Veteran journalist Chaacha Mwita Returns to Standard Group as Group Managing Director

Veteran journalist and media executive Chaacha Mwita has joined the Standard Group Board as Group Managing Director. This marks a return to familiar ground for Mwita, whose last stint at the company ended in dramatic fashion back in 2014. Mwita brings a long track record in journalism, media strategy, leadership, and policy consulting. He’s held senior roles at Nation Media Group, the Aga Khan Foundation, APHRC, Thomson Foundation (UK), and The Standard Group itself. Beyond Kenya, Mwita has worked on media assessments across southern and eastern Africa — including in Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Uganda. His academic background includes a Bachelor of Education (Arts) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Mass Communication from the University of Nairobi. He also holds an MBA from the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland, with further executive training from the Haas School of Business (UC Berkeley) and the University of Luxembourg. He is a published author and former Fanning Fellow for Journalism at the Kettering Foundation in the US. Veteran journalist and media executive Chaacha Mwita Mwita first joined the Standard Group board on July 4, 2023, but stepped down in August 2024. He now returns as a non-executive director. This return brings back memories of his abrupt exit from the company in April 2014. At the time, State House reportedly demanded his dismissal over a front-page story exposing the government’s Ksh100 million cabinet retreat at the Mt. Kenya Safari Club — a move seen as contradicting the President’s austerity messaging. The report detailed how the government spent heavily on hotel bookings, private flights, and exclusive use of the facility. Tensions escalated further when Mwita allegedly insisted that Jicho Pevu’s “What Happened at the Ballot” should be aired in full, without edits requested by then-CEO Sam Shollei. That story never aired — reportedly blocked after pressure from State House. Shortly after, State House summoned senior Standard Group editors for a confrontation. At the meeting were Mwita, Irene Kimani (Group Commercial Director), and Enock Wambua (Managing Editor, Sunday Standard). State House demanded an apology, a retraction, and internal consequences. Mwita stood his ground and was shown the door soon after. Despite the fallout, Mwita is still remembered for his strong newsroom leadership. During his brief tenure as editorial head, the company saw a 40% jump in sales. He’s widely respected for defending editorial independence and standing by journalists under pressure. His return now positions Standard Group as one of the few media houses in Kenya to appoint journalists to top leadership roles — a space long dominated by executives with non-editorial backgrounds. Apart from Standard, only Royal Media Services has a journalist, Wachira Waruru, serving as CEO.