The Kenya Editors’ Guild has urged the government to take urgent steps to protect journalists, ensure media sustainability, and strengthen regulatory clarity, warning that unresolved challenges threaten press freedom and democracy.
Speaking at the 8th Annual Editors Convention in Kilifi, KEG President Zubeida Kananu outlined a series of demands, including a renewed commitment to journalist protection, faster prosecution of perpetrators of violence against reporters, liberalisation of government advertising, and modernisation of the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation.
“Protecting journalists is protecting democracy,” Kananu told delegates, adding that more than 20 journalists were injured during recent Gen Z protests, with some deliberately targeted.
“Justice cannot remain elusive. Catherine Wanjeri, shot three times at close range, continues to wait for accountability. Eric Isinta too awaits closure.”
The convention, themed “Truth, Trust and Technology: The Place of Journalism in the Digital Era”, brought together editors, journalists, government officials, and development partners to reflect on the future of journalism in Kenya.
Kananu stressed that economic suffocation is now the greatest threat to media freedom, citing delayed government advertising payments, declining revenue, and Big Tech dominance.
She called for the establishment of a National Media Sustainability and Innovation Fund to support newsroom modernisation, fact-checking, and investigative reporting.
She also urged the government to liberalise advertising procurement, require global digital platforms to share revenue generated from Kenyan content, and reinvest a portion of recovered proceeds of corruption into strengthening fact-checking desks.
The Guild President further appealed for modernisation of KBC’s infrastructure, predictable public funding, and protection of editorial independence, saying a strong public broadcaster is vital for national identity, cohesion, and education.
She also pressed for legislative alignment between the Communications Authority and the Media Council of Kenya to eliminate overlapping mandates and protect media self-regulation.
Looking ahead to the 2027 General Election, Kananu warned that disinformation, online harassment, and political intimidation will intensify, making the role of the media even more essential.
She urged the government to work closely with media houses to strengthen preparedness, enhance safety, support fact-checking, and uphold free and fair coverage.
“A thriving media begins with thriving journalists,” she said.
“We appeal to media houses to prioritise the welfare, dignity, mental health, and timely payment of staff. This year we mourn colleagues who passed away some under immense stress.”
The KEG President also highlighted the Guild’s ongoing efforts to strengthen journalism through specialised training, including manuals on climate change, biotechnology, and trade reporting.
She appealed for greater support from the government and the public to sustain these initiatives, which she described as serving the national good.
“When the media thrives, the nation thrives. When journalists are safe, citizens are safe. When truth is protected, democracy is protected,” Kananu concluded.
