John-Allan Namu Sounds Alarm on Politicians Funding Podcasters Ahead of 2027 Elections

Investigative journalist John-Allan Namu criticized at an Open Africa Tribune Media forum the alleged payments politicians make to podcasters who then present funded activities as independent media events. He cited reported payments of Ksh200,000 to Ksh300,000 and warned that opaque arrangements amounting to “brown-envelope journalism” damage the press’s credibility and public trust. Namu acknowledged podcasters’ growing influence in Kenya as politicians seek to shape public opinion ahead of the 2027 General Election. Data cited by Kenyans.co.ke ranked Abel Mutua first among Kenyan podcasters, averaging 306,500 views per video, followed by Lynn Ngugi with 248,100.