Journalists have rejected invitations to the Journalism Excellence Award ceremony set for today. The Kenya Editors' Guild and Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) had been invited by the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) to join them in the fourth edition of the Energy Journalism Excellence Awards (EJEA).
Through its acting Managing Director Hudson Andambi, KPC invited the two unions and other media stakeholders to the gala where journalists who had demonstrated understanding and reported on matters related to the developments in the petroleum and energy sectors would be recognised.
“We hereby invite you to attend the ceremony. Please also nominate eight members of the guild who would wish to attend the event to accompany you,” the invite dated March 28 partly read.
But KUJ and the Editors’ Guild turned down the invitations, saying they did not want to associate themselves with the ceremony because some companies sponsoring the event were either under investigation or had been investigated for corruption.
KPC has been in the headlines over corruption allegations.
In a letter dated April 1, Kenya Editors' Guild Chief Executive Officer Rosalia Omungo told KPC that the Guild had advised its members to shun the ceremony.
“EJEA awards as currently structured can be deemed to be an affront on independent journalism in Kenya. The awards as planned seek to put journalists in a situation where they are to be celebrated by subjects of their coverage, all in the claim of rewarding excellence,” said Ms Omungo.
“Naturally, this constitutes a major conflict of interest, a grave matter for editors in particular and the larger fraternity of free media.”
On his part, KUJ Secretary General Erick Oduor wrote to KPC corporate affairs boss disassociating the union from the awards because journalists believed it lacked integrity.
“Some of the companies who have sponsored these awards have either been investigated or are being investigated over corruption and cannot stand the test of integrity,” said Mr Oduor.
Industry regulator, Media Council of Kenya (MCK) said it had advised the Energy ministry to cancel the ceremony.
Council CEO David Omwoyo said called for caution so that investments in media development are not "seen as attempts to influence media coverage".
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