After a public outcry on the nature of its Wednesday’s headline, The Star Newspaper has been forced to come out and shed some more light on the lead.
Taking to his Twitter account on Wednesday morning, The Star Digital Editor Oliver Mathenge, maintained that the controversial headline, (Sonko: I had HIV Chronic TB and Epileptic Attack) was not in any way about Sonko’s ailments as the audience had interpreted, but rather about how the governor had always used the ailment to escape justice.
While justifying why Sonko had been rushed out of Kamiti Prison to seek treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital, the editor referred to a past similar incident where the governor is alleged to have also tricked his way out of Shimo la Tewa prison on medical grounds.
“This lead story in @TheStarKenyais not about Sonko’s ‘ailments’ It is about how he has used mischief to escape facing justice over the years as demonstrated by the DPP on Monday. In June, he gave court test results to discount reports that his ‘ailments’ got him out of prison,” read Mathenge’s tweet.
His explanations came after a section of social media users accused the newspaper of damaging the governor’s reputation through a misleading lead.
According to The Star, the court’s papers filed by the office of Director of Public Prosecutions indicated that Sonko, in an affidavit, claimed he was ailing from at least four life-threatening conditions when he was seeking to secure his release from prison 18 years ago.
“In new documents obtained by the Star, the governor had in 2001 said in an affidavit that he was HIV positive and epileptic,” read part of the story by the Star Newspaper.
The newspaper also reported that Sonko, in an affidavit, claimed that he was suffering from chronic tuberculosis and peptic ulcers.
The audience couldn’t, however, hear none of the newspaper’s story as they demanded that the daily publication pull down its headline or explain in detail why they had decided to run away with the controversial story as its lead.
As Kenyans we must all agree this kind of media must b banned. This is clear misuse of freedom. It can't happen in failed states. Responsible media must b forced to these kangaroo guns for fire gutter press
— Sharp Shooter (@SharpSh05380877) December 11, 2019
@TheStarKenya it's not right to air someone's private life in the media, @ODPP_KE do you really respect someone's confidentiality? @MikeSonko should sue you both for that
— Victor Brown 🇰🇰🇪 (@Victorbrownke) December 11, 2019
When you've to explain an headline that it isn't what it appears, then it means the headline is misleading and could have been written differently.
— Philosopher (@Philosopher254) December 11, 2019
Your headline smells stigma. We fighting hard to have a society that does not stigmatized HIV positive people.
— ONES🇰🇪 (@ones_mc) December 11, 2019