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By Isabella Maua
Journalists have raised alarm regarding their neglected mental health and welfare, especially during coverage of riots and political demonstrations, mostly during electioneering period.
Speaking during a sensitization forum held by KAREU MPYA CBO in collaboration with USAID and ACT! Electoral Conflict Mitigation and Civic Education, journalists and bloggers drawn from across Mt. Elgon emphasized the need for Media house owners to prioritize their well-being so as to ensure proper execution of their noble mandate.
“Our leaders and politicians should be enlightened on press freedom since they are the greatest obstacle when they jeopardize our service provision to the community,” noted one of the reporters.
The journalists were, however, challenged to uphold professionalism and maintain balance in their reporting to avoid misinforming the public, especially in crucial matters and those of human interest.
“As journalists, we need to be very keen on our reporting; to avoid harm and chaos, let’s normalize confirming our information with the relevant authorities before it’s published or aired on our media platforms,” advised Douglas Mudambo, Mt. Elgon Sub County Information Officer.
Poor payments were also mentioned as the top cause of compromised reporting among journalists since they have to accept ‘the brown envelope’, which subsequently forces them to make concessions rather than reporting facts.
“In most cases, we’re impelled to strike a balance between truths and half truths, hence sacrificing our professional mandate, which shouldn’t have been the case if we were properly paid,” bemoaned one of the seasoned reporters.
“We’re holding this forum to provide a platform for journalists to share their ideas and air their grievances so that we can channel them to the rightful authorities,” commented Abdel Kamasai of KAREU MPYA.
The journalists also expressed their appreciation to the event organizers for offering themselves as their go-between.
“In most cases, we are the ones to air other people’s predicaments, but no one comes to our rescue; Kareu has done a remarkable thing to which we’re beholden,” asserted one of the media practitioners.
