Star newspaper vendor Janalius Mutero at his workstation on Kaunda Street in Nairobi on July 8 /LEAH MUKANGAI
For 18 years, Janalius Mutero has faithfully delivered the Star newspaper to his loyal street clientele – a quiet force behind the scenes whose dedication mirrors the evolution of the paper itself.
A week before the Star – then known as the Nairobi Star – hit the streets in 2007, Mutero was selected as one of its pioneering vendors.
Almost two decades later, his newsstand – along with his team of sub-vendors – remains a reliable spot for Nairobi readers to grab their daily copy.
Through shifting trends in print media and waning newspaper circulation, Mutero has stayed committed to putting the Star on the stand every morning, rain or shine.
In his corner of the city, the Star isn’t just another paper – it’s a must-have.
“Circulations are down for all dailies,” he says, “but for my customers, not having the Star is an unforgivable sin.”
He adds with a smile, “So I move the earth to make sure it’s there.”
Mutero’s loyalty is reflected by his customers – readers who, he says, are drawn to the Star’s distinctive voice and human-centred reporting.
“Most people insist that … the Star must also be on the stand because of the unique perspective always brought by the paper,” he says.
“There is just a way writers of the paper have different perspectives on an incident or a matter. Also, there are unique human interest stories and interviews that people resonate with, hence the loyalty that I have developed from my customers since 2007.”
To Mutero, this loyalty is no accident.
It is rooted in the paper’s bold editorial choices and its evolution over time.
From its early days as a tabloid-heavy publication steeped in entertainment and showbiz, the Star has transitioned into a mainstream political daily – but without losing its edge.
“In most cases, what is in the Star is not in other papers. From unique reports and interviews to perspectives from the grassroots, my customers are always unsatisfied if they find that I don’t have this newspaper on the stand.”
He still remembers the day the first issue came out: he was handed 700 copies.
They were all gone by 10am.
“Before the paper was launched, I was part of the team of vendors who went around talking to people about it,” he recalls.
“We assured them the new paper would be bold, forthright and talk about all issues – including politics and sex. I’m glad that though it has changed and become a mainstream political paper, it has not discarded being forthright and bold.”
That boldness, he says, is what keeps readers coming back – and what gives the Star a fighting chance in an era where digital content is slowly replacing the rustle of newsprint.
When asked what the paper needs to do to stay competitive, Mutero does not hesitate.
“Remain consistent with identity and news style. Keep looking for news where others ignore.”
He believes the paper’s success lies in telling the stories no one else tells: the human interest features, the grassroots voices, the moments other outlets brush aside as lacking “news value”.
“Many readers like those things that other platforms ignore,” he says.
“More readers come to my stand every morning asking for the Star because of those ‘rare’ stories.”
As Nairobi’s rhythms change and print journalism faces an uncertain future, Mutero continues to be a steady presence.
Each morning, as the city stirs to life, he is already at his stand ready with that day’s issue of the Star – a small act of devotion to journalism that tells it like it is.
INSTANT ANALYSIS: Mutero is more than a vendor – he’s a grassroots brand ambassador for the Star. His story reveals that in an age of digital noise, human connection and trust still drive loyal readership.
