Support journalists more so they can better perform their duties

Journalists whist a NASA demonstrator to safety after he was roughed up by anti-riot police officers. [Pius Cheruiyot, Standard]

This year's theme for World Press Freedom Day was; "Shaping a future of rights: Freedom of expression as a driver for all other human rights". It goes without saying that the media has for a long time been a beacon of light when it comes to transparency, not only in Kenya but also globally. Some journalists have been brutally injured in their line of duty while others have lost their lives. I pay tribute to the late veteran journalists Catherine Kasavuli, Philip Ochieng and Moses Omusolo, among others ,who were exemplary leaders when performing their watchdog duties. Indeed, 'journalists do not die, they go off air'.

In his speech on World Press Freedom Day, US President Joe Biden noted that journalists face challenges by risking their lives to pursue the truth. "In far too many places around the world, autocrats and their enablers continue to repress a free and independent media through censorship, retribution, threats, lawsuits, harassment, disinformation, detention and physical attacks."