The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) and the Association of Kenya Community Media Operators (AKCMO) have reaffirmed their partnership, committing to translate their long-standing working relationship into concrete shared actions that address the pressing needs of Kenya’s media sector.
MCK Director for Media Training and Development Victor Bwire described the renewed pact as a natural evolution of a relationship that has delivered tangible results over the years.
“I look at this as a joint partnership where we are converting agreements into concrete shared actions and governance,” Bwire said.
“Let us come up with more ideas to mobilise resources and expand our activities together,” he added.
Bwire identified community media as a priority area, noting that many community and campus media practitioners operate without formal journalism training, a gap that makes targeted capacity building both urgent and impactful.
How MCK plans to support community media practitioners
He specifically highlighted the need to train community media practitioners on the new code of conduct, alongside planned programmes on factchecking and the responsible use of artificial intelligence.
“More training in factchecking and AI will be organised to give life to our pact,” he said.
AKCMO Chairperson David Waturu welcomed the renewed commitment while drawing attention to the sustainability challenges facing community radio stations across the country.
He noted that donor funding has declined significantly, pushing community media operators to pivot towards programmes that are directly participatory and community-driven, including content on farming and the fight against harmful practices such as female genital mutilation.
“We are sensitive to the needs of the community,” Waturu said.
“This is an important moment for us, especially in our journey together. We have worked with MCK for a while, and we want to strengthen one another for mutual benefit,” he added.
Both organisations agreed that deepening the partnership would not only benefit their respective memberships but contribute to a more professional, informed, and resilient media sector in Kenya.
