Three veteran Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) journalists and one K24 journalist were among the new officials elected to head the Kenya Environmental and Science Journalists Association (KENSJA).
The three journalists from the national broadcaster and its affiliate stations include Judith Akolo, Justus Wanzala, and Joan Bett.
A senior environment journalist at KBC, Akolo was elected unopposed as the Deputy Chairperson while Justus Wanzala clinched the Deputy Secretary General position of the Association.
In addition to that, Joan Kibet, the head of Kalenjin station Kitwek FM was elected the Deputy Treasurer of the Association.
The same election equally saw Dan Kaburu of K24, Gilbert Koech of the Star, and Lilian Mukoche of Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology FM elected as Committee members.
Former Daily Nation Health Reporter Vera Okeyo was elected Secretary General while Catherine Muindi of Kenya News Agency was elected Treasurer.
Dancun Mboya, a freelance journalist was elected unopposed as the Chairperson of the Association during the same elections.
Ochieng Ogodo was elected the Association’s patron while Carol Oyugi was elected the Organizing Secretary.
The newly elected chairman called on the Association’s members and elected officials to focus on improving the quality of environmental articles in the media.
“As KESJA we are committed to educating the population on controversial science topics with the help of experts to make populations value the role that science plays in their day-to-day lives,” Mboya indicated.
On her part, the new Vice Chairperson appreciated the challenge that climate change is posing to everyone across the globe.
“It, therefore, calls on media to unpack the information and make it usable by policymakers and the public as we move towards the quest for adaptation to climate change as well as mitigating the effects of climate change” she indicated in her acceptance speech.
Established in 2004, KENSJA is a non-political, professional body for environment and science journalists in Kenya, brings together science journalists in the country to encourage high standards of professionalism and to promote a science culture by developing the skills of journalists in communicating science.
The association has over the years drawn its membership from journalists and science communicators who are interested in accurate and factual reporting of science issues.
Source: kENYANS.CO.KE
