KTN's Zubeida Kananu Elected To Lead Kenya Editors

KTN News anchor and editor, Zubeida Koome, was on Saturday, April 29 elected as the new President of the Kenya Editors Guild (KEG).

The election was held during KEG's Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at the Nairobi Safari Club and results were announced by Returning Officer Tom Onyango.

Zubeida won with 72 votes, putting clear daylight between her and Sammy Muraya from Journalists for Human Rights, who amassed 36 votes, out of 110 people who took part in the elections.

Kananu expressed her delight at being elected as the new president and promised to serve her colleagues with commitment and dedication as she succeeds the long-serving Churchill Otieno, formerly the Editor of Online and New Content at the Nation Media Group (NMG).

Zubeida Kananu delivers her speech at the Nairobi Club on April 29, 2023 after being elected the Kenya Editors Guild president. /KENYA EDITORS GUILD

"I am very happy and I lack words to express myself. When I joined, EC Churchill held my hand, he brought us together as colleagues.

"I make a commitment to serve you all and I promise not to let you down," Kananu said.

She further thanked everyone for believing in her and emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety and security of journalists, especially during demonstrations which are planned to resume on Thursday, May 2.

"We will take care of our journalists on the ground even during demonstrations," she assured.

Ruth Nesoba from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was elected as the new vice president, winning with 73 votes against James Ng’ang’a Mbugua from People Daily who received 35 votes.

Francis Mureithi, the digital editor of Radio Africa Group, was elected unopposed as the council member of Online. Linda Bach from Standard Media Group was also retained as the council member of Print.

List of elected Kenya Editors Guild (KEG) leaders

1. President: Zubeidah Kananu
2. Vice President: Ruth Nesoba
3. Francis Mureithi - Online
4. Linda Bach - Print
5. Millicent Awuor - Television
6. Toepista Nabusoba - Radio
7. Prof George Nyabuga - Academia
8. Trustees: Arthur Okwemba & Martin Masai

The Kenya Editors’ Guild is the professional association for editors in Kenya, including senior print, broadcast and online editors, and scholars of journalism and media studies.

The association and its members commit themselves to defending and promoting media freedom and editorial independence as well as promoting quality and ethical journalism, and providing a forum for sharing ideas and experiences that are critical in and for the media.

Objectives of the Guild

1. To promote standards of journalism, the independence of media and to advise members on issues of practical and ethical concern.
2. To represent members’ interests in all matters of editorial and professional concern and interest.
3. To monitor legislation on matters affecting the news media either directly or indirectly and to make appropriate representations to Parliament, regional assemblies and other organisations and authorities at all levels of government and public life.
4. To interpret legislation and advisory notices to members and other organisations.
5. To provide a forum for the discussion and resolution of challenges facing editors and to promote the objectives of the Guild.
6. To network with other professional organisations.
7. To help improve the quality of journalism through active support of education and training.
8. To represent Kenya’s editors regionally and internationally.
9. To recognise and reward editorial excellence.

Zubeida in 2022 had her milestones including moderating the 2022 Nairobi gubernatorial and the deputy presidential debate series, where she went viral for the heated exchange between her and Nairobi governor Johnson Sakaja.

The back and forth which served as fodder for conversation across the country on Monday, July 11, 2022, began when Sakaja was put to task regarding his degree saga, sparked by his opponent, Polycarp Igathe who claimed that his degree certificate from Team University in Uganda was doctored.