Improve journalists’ pay, pleads Central Organisation of Trade Unions chief, Atwoli
Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli yesterday urged media owners to ensure reporters have a pay commensurate with their work if they want them to uphold integrity.
Atwoli who spoke during a forum organised by Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) said despite most journalists investing much of their time they have always ended up earning peanuts.
“We know adverts are back and our plea to media owners is to pay these people well. It is only through journalists that we can be able to unearth what is happening,” he said.
Atwoli said he would soon engage media owners with a view to formulating a minimum wage for journalists.
“We must make their working conditions better each and every day. This is one group that is never appreciated well. However, we must change this conversation from today,” he added.
The Cotu boss Atwoli told news purveyors to practise journalism that lay emphasis on unity of the country.
“Focus on who you bring on board. When I tell you someone is not fit to become President you are busy fighting me and bringing him to your newsrooms,” he said.
East Africa Journalists Association (EAJA) President Sadiq Ibrahim asked the Fourth Estate to be united and work closely with the Africa Union to implement Agenda 2063.
“We are the people who will change this continent. We should focus on doing stories that portray the beauty of our continent,” he said.
Calls to have journalists earn better have continued to gather momentum in recent days.
Last month, during the World Press Freedom Day, Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi pleaded with media owners to improve pay for journalists.
“For this conversation to make sense, today is my day to ask the media owners in this country to pay our children – their reporters and news crew very well. They deserve it,” Muturi said.
Muturi added: “Today is my day to ask media owners to pay our children, reporters and correspondents very well; pay them well first and then demand integrity, otherwise, we risk making them captives of government and news sources.”
The Speaker said that free and independent media, spreading accurate and factual information is the cornerstone of a vibrant democracy and national development.
