• The lobby brings together media practitioners, academia, activists and other thinkers together to safe guard press freedom and ensure impactful media in Africa
Image: FILE
Former Kenya Editors’ Guild president Churchill Otieno has been elected to lead an Africawide media lobby that will champion freer space for practice of journalism.
Otieno will chair the Steering Committee of the African Media Convention (AMC) to implement the resolutions of freedom of press assembly that convened in Lusaka, Zambia, in May.
Otieno will work with three teams of standing committees that will start operations next month.
The media brief announcing the officials says, “The AMC steering committee has a mandate and clear terms of reference to execute as approved by the AMC stakeholders in May 2023.”
“In addition, three standing committees will be in place from July 2023, to oversee the editorial process for the AMC’s annual reports, monitor and evaluate implementation of the declarations and support the local planning and hosting committee for the annual AMC.”
“In line with the decision made during the first meeting, additional members of the steering committee will be co-opted ensuring the much-needed regional and gender balance.”
Otieno will be deputised by Susan Makore from Zimbabwe.
Also serving with him are Gambia journalist Pa Louis Thomais as secretary general, and former KBC journalist Josephine Karani as assistant secretary general.
Edetaen Ojo, Prof George Nyabunga, Alfred Nkuru Bulakali, Wyne Musabayana and Lydia Gachungi will sit in the steering committees representing different sectors and playing various roles.
Formation and functioning of the Africa Media Convention is spearheaded by Unesco as the UN lead Agency and supported by the African Union.
"It is a platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and advocacy, bringing together media stakeholders from across Africa and beyond," the statement said.
Lydia Gachungi, Unesco's regional adviser on freedom on expression, said the team was installed after a transparent election during the fete in Zambia.
“Following a rigorous and transparent election process during our first meeting, we are pleased to announce the successful election of the inaugural office bearers, including chairperson, convener, secretary, assistant secretary and its adviser."