The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) plans to establish modern media workstations in Isiolo and Meru counties to strengthen journalism and enhance coverage of development and community issues ahead of the 2027 General Election.
MCK board members announced the plans during a meeting with journalists in Isiolo town, where they also visited the Kenya News Agency (KNA) offices and inspected the agency’s ICT centre and resource facilities.
The Board Chairman Maina Muiruri said the two facilities would be established concurrently and were expected to be operational ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In Isiolo, the council plans to work closely with the Isiolo Press Club (IPC) to establish about five modern workstations at the KNA resource centre. The facility is expected to accommodate about 20 journalists from different media organizations, as well as other users requiring media-related services.
A similar facility will be established in Meru to support journalists covering the wider region.
Muiruri said the initiative was aimed at strengthening the capacity of journalists to cover the region, particularly major development projects and other issues with a direct impact on local communities.
He said the council had noted that significant amounts of newsworthy material, including unique stories and features, remained unreported because of logistical challenges and other constraints facing journalists.
The board members said the council would support journalists through relevant training and other initiatives aimed at enhancing their professional skills and promoting collaboration.
During the visit to the KNA offices, the board also expressed interest in supporting the improvement of the ICT centre, which would provide journalists with a central facility where they could access essential resources and work on their stories.
The MCK officials said the planned facilities and capacity-building programmes would help journalists’ better serve communities by ensuring that important local stories, development projects and issues affecting residents receive adequate media coverage.
MCK Chief Executive Officer David Omwoyo reminded journalists that all practicing journalists should be accredited by the council.
He said journalists intending to cover the 2027 General Election would also be required to obtain accreditation from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
Omwoyo said the council would soon train media personnel on election coverage to prepare them for the demands of political reporting.
The training, he said, would help journalists cover the elections professionally, minimize conflicts with news sources and ensure adherence to established rules and professional standards.
Omwoyo also welcomed the establishment of the digital hub at the KNA offices in Isiolo, saying it would give members of the Isiolo Press Club access to facilities that would enhance their ability to produce credible and professional journalism.
He urged journalists to adhere to the Code of Conduct for the Practice of Journalism in Kenya, saying ethical standards were essential for accurate, balanced and objective reporting.
Journalists, he said, should rise above gender, religious and ethnic biases when gathering and reporting news to maintain public confidence in the media.
Mr Omwoyo also condemned the recent abduction of Standard Media Group senior editor Alex Kiprotich, saying the incident was embarrassing to the government at a time when cases of media practitioners being mishandled by politicians and government associates were on the rise.
He said such incidents undermined Kenya’s constitutional commitment to the rule of law and freedom of the press.
Omwoyo called for a thorough investigation into Kiprotich’s abduction and urged authorities to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice. Kiprotich was reportedly abducted and later dumped about 200 kilometres from where he was taken.
By David Nduro
