By Gitonga Mukindia
Isiolo based journalists have launched a press club in a colourful event that was graced by media council officials, county commissioner Geoffrey Omoding among other distigushed guests.
The event, that was supported by the media council of Kenya(MCK), gave the opportunity to the journalists and media practitioners a platform to interact with the council national and regional officials led by Victor Bwire, who is the director media training and development in the MCK and John Karanja, the council coordinator Meru regional office among others.
The club is expected to bring all journalists and media practitioners together to ensure that they empower themselves in all aspects as they play their forth estate role.
Bwire, while speaking, called upon the journalist to stay put as their rights are clear in the constitution.
“Nobody should intimidate you while in your line of duty, your rights are guaranteed in Article 34 of the conditions,” Bwire said.
He insisted on journalists remaining focused, sober and being informed.
This was echoed by the county commissioner, who assured the journalists their security as they execute their mandates.
The security boss asked the journalists to support war on illegal activities going on in the county, including illegal alcohol that is killing young people.
Peter Ngechu, the former county finance chief officer, insisted on the need for journalists to work as a team as there is power in numbers.
He requested them to work on life changing stories.
Hosman Sheriff, a town businessman who was in attendance, challenged journalists to unearth the cause for recurrence of conflicts in pastoralists counties.
David Karani, the club patron, expressed his faith and hope in the club growth and changing the lives of the members and the entire society.
Waweru Wairimu, the club chairperson, expressed the members’ commitment in working on climate change stories, when the issue is a global concern.
The club is now expected to give the journalists a stronger voice to speak, a bolder pen to write and renewed energy to gather and work on stories that will bridge the gap that exists as media landscape changes.
The members of the club will much leverage on the emergence of the new trends in the media industry, where digital platforms and artificial intelligence are changing the ways of telling human interest stories.
Isiolo press club is the eleventh in Kenya, whose membership is for the MCK accredited journalists only.
