Photojournalist Denish Ochieng has accused The Standard Group PLC of ordering its security officers to assault him. He had simply asked for the KSh 217,786 in unpaid dues that the company owed him since 2024.
Ochieng said he had tried every possible way to settle the matter peacefully. Nothing worked. The company kept putting him off and then turned to force when he pressed harder for what was his.
“I have tried every other way but the company keeps acting like it can do whatever it wants and resorts to violence” Ochieng said.
His words carry extra weight because he links the long delays in payments to real pain and loss inside the newsroom. One former colleague named Katana died in 2024 after slipping into deep depression.
He had waited 25 years for money the company never sent. Another worker Rashid passed away in December 2025 from complications tied to high blood pressure. Both cases left Ochieng shaken. He wonders how much more damage the unpaid wages will cause.
“How many more lives must this company destroy through stress and depression” he asked.
The photojournalist also made it clear that his own health has taken a hit from the long wait. He told friends he will head straight to a doctor for treatment the moment the money finally arrives. For now the stress of chasing the payment while dealing with the reported assault leaves him in a tough spot.
Newsroom insiders who know Ochieng describe him as a steady hand with a camera. He has covered everything from street protests to major events for The Standard over the years.
His pictures have helped tell Kenya’s stories to readers across the country. Yet like many contributors in the media business he says he often waits months or even years for cheques that never seem to come. This time the wait turned ugly.
People who follow media affairs in Nairobi point out that photojournalists work long irregular hours. They face risks on the job and then struggle to pay rent or medical bills when payments drag on.
Ochieng’s case puts a face on that problem. It shows how one delayed payment can snowball into bigger trouble for families and for the workers who keep newspapers and websites running.
The amount involved KSh 217,786 is not small change for someone in his line of work. It represents months of assignments fuel for the motorbike he uses to chase stories and basic living costs.
Ochieng explained that he kept hoping the company would sort things out quietly. Instead he says security stepped in after he showed up to ask one more time.
Friends who heard his account say he sounded both angry and tired. He did not want the story to stay hidden. He believes speaking out might push the company to act and perhaps help others in the same boat. At the same time he knows the risks of going public against a big media house.
He hopes the public attention will bring a different ending. One where the cheque arrives and the stress eases for him and for others still waiting in the wings.
Until then Ochieng says he will keep sharing his side of events. The pictures he once took for The Standard now feel distant. His focus has shifted to getting what he is owed and protecting his health in the process.
The coming days may bring more details or even a response from the media group. For now the account from Denish Ochieng stands as a raw reminder of the human cost when payments stop and doors close. It is the kind of tale that sticks with readers because it could happen to anyone who works hard and then waits too long for fair treatment.
