Andreas Whittam Smith, a titan of British journalism who co-founded The Independent newspaper with the radical vision of a truly impartial press, has died at the age of 88. His family confirmed he passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 29, 2025, surrounded by loved ones.

For Kenya, Whittam Smith’s death is more than a distant headline; it is a moment to reflect on the very ideals his work embodied. In a nation where media freedom is both constitutionally guaranteed and frequently challenged, his career serves as a powerful case study on the enduring struggle for journalistic autonomy.

Whittam Smith, along with colleagues Stephen Glover and Matthew Symonds, launched The Independent in 1986. They were defectors from the Daily Telegraph, driven by a belief that “journalism of the highest standard cannot easily flourish when impeded… by the political prejudices of the typical newspaper proprietor,” as he noted in the paper's first editorial. This was a direct challenge to a UK media landscape dominated by powerful, partisan owners.

A Blueprint for a Free Press

The founding principle of The Independent was to be guided by facts, not by the agenda of its owners or a political party. This commitment to objective, unbiased reporting resonates deeply within Kenya's vibrant and often embattled media environment, where journalists and media houses frequently face pressure from political and commercial interests. The Constitution of Kenya, in Article 34, explicitly protects the freedom and independence of the media, making Whittam Smith's life's work a relevant benchmark.

His vision proved successful. The paper quickly found a large audience, establishing itself as a trusted, centrist voice in a polarised market. It championed causes from electoral reform to environmental issues and took a strong, independent stance on foreign policy. This model of a commercially viable, yet editorially independent, publication has been a global inspiration.

Before his venture into newspaper ownership, Whittam Smith had a distinguished career in financial journalism at outlets including the Financial Times and The Times. His influence extended beyond the newsroom; he later served as the president of the British Board of Film Classification and as a senior lay member of the Church of England from 2002 to 2017.

An Enduring Legacy

A family spokesperson noted, “He was surrounded by his family until the end and will be dearly missed.” He is survived by his wife, Valerie, two sons, and three grandsons.

While the media landscape has been radically transformed by the digital age since 1986, the core challenge that Whittam Smith confronted remains. His enduring legacy is the unwavering belief that a free press is not a luxury, but, as Kenya’s own public discourse affirms, a fundamental pillar of a functioning democracy.