In 1957, while in East Africa for his appointment as Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan IV asked his publicist, Michael Curtis (then with the News Chronicle of England), about the possibility of setting up a newspaper in Kenya. 

The Genesis of a Media Venture 

Although a likely spur-of-the-moment question, the two carried the conversation forward. They fleshed out ideas on what would eventually become a leading national daily. By 1959 the Imam had a sturdy plan to get started on the project. He acquired Taifa – a Kiswahili weekly that was managed by Charles Hayes, a former colonial district officer, and his partner Althea Tebbutt. Ready with the ambitious vision of creating a distinctive newspaper that would stand out from the existing crop, the Imam’s starting point was finding a suitable name. The decision was to rename Taifa by translating it into English: Nation.  

The founding team’s role was clear cut: the Imam would fund the venture until it became profitable. Then Curtis would handle the day-to-day operations and work as Managing Editor. The duo set up the paper’s first office on Government Road (present-day Moi Avenue) and got to work on their first issue.  

With no budget constraints, the team aimed to take the Kenyan print media scene by storm. And on March 20, 1960, The Nation’s first edition was hot off the press with over 15,000 newspapers ready for distribution. Although an ambitious number to kick start distribution, 13,000 copies were sold. And this remained a key marker in the newspaper’s rise in the following months and years. 

News, More News, and Developments 

At a time when independence was within reach, the hunt for news needed the reporters to have an ear on the ground. It was also important for them to know multiple nationalists. Unlike existing print media houses, The Nation positioned itself as an independent journalism publication that was available weekly on Sundays. By October of its first year, The Nation had transformed into a daily paper that amplified the work of Kenyan nationalists, spotlighting the fast-paced movement towards self-rule. Because of this, the paper came to be known as The Daily Nation. 

The wave of change in the country served to give the paper national credibility as most readers identified with its foundational philosophy. It gave the print industry an instant impetus. 

On his part, Curtis had his boots deep in the ground from the first issue. One of his long-term goals was to grow the paper and break even on the initial investments. Eight years later, this came to be, and in this timeframe, more African newsroom staff were onboarded. Curtis handed over the baton to Hilary Boniface Ng’weno in 1965, and The Daily Nation had its first African Editor-in-Chief. Ng’weno was only 25 years old at the time but showed so much promise. 

That year the paper also went into the stock market. The Imam’s shares reduced from 100% to 60% as more investors and buyers showed interest. 

The Granite That Built the Brand 

By the late seventies, several politicians had seen the paper’s success and wanted to buy into the business. But the parameters remained firm: independent journalism would be prioritised, and political involvement would steer away from this. With this editorial stance set in stone, the paper remained both critical and objective throughout the Moi regime and internal transformation was eminent. Indeed, the paper’s growth aligned with the country’s development! And the dedication to high press standards remained eminent, borrowing from pacesetters globally. 

To commemorate the paper’s 25th anniversary, in 1985 the Daily Nation offered over 80 scholarships to high school students. In the following decade, the paper expanded. It acquired a building along Kimathi Street that would serve as the new headquarters and was named Nation Centre. 

Steady growth followed in leaps and bounds. More news journals were added to the Nation Media Group docket. From The East African, to Taifa Leo, to Business Daily, and even Mwana Spoti, readers around the East Africa region are spoiled for choice when it comes to the latest news from Kenya and East Africa. In line with current trends, the Group launched within the electronic media space. This expanded its broadcast reach and eventually, digital papers became available. 

Of Quality and of Firsts 

Many popular columns have come to the public courtesy of the Daily Nation, from Masharubu’s World to Whispers, to the Fifth Columnist which are credited to columnists such as Edward Gitau, Wahome Mutahi and Philip Ochieng respectively. However, another key turning point for this Kenyan newspaper came in 2019 when Pamela Sittoni was appointed as The Nation’s first female Managing Editor. 

The story of this gazeti is emblematic of the outcome of persistence and ambition. Its contribution to print journalism has been to independently capture the pulse of the heart of Kenya through the years. 

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