AMWIK in conjunction with Fredskorpset, Norway held a workshop on 4 May 2010 to sensitize the Naivasha residents on citizen journalism and coverage of environmental issues in Naivasha district.

The project’s mission was to encourage the local community in Naivasha to be more involved in environmental management and lower the threshold for both them and the organizations to contact media, and for the media to follow up on their approach.

Why Naivasha?

The selection criteria were based on a couple of factors. To begin with AMWIK already has existing community radio listening groups led by a strong coordination team. Secondly AMWIK was very conscious of the economical benefits that the Kenyan Government, citizens and local organizations derive from Lake Naivasha. Lastly AMWIK took recognition of the environmental degradation that Naivasha was experiencing ranging from pollution to the decrease in its water level amongst others.

Bottom-up journalism

Taking note of the critical role citizen journalism and bottom up approach to issues plays in the development of any region; AMWIK organized the forum so as to sensitize communities on the need for cordial relationship between journalists and residents in the setting of any development agenda or social change.   

Tole Nyatta from Internews was invited to present a concept on benefits of bottom-up journalism and how this can be achieved and how this would consequently promote democracy.

Many misperceptions demystified

Feedback from Nyatta’s presentation revealed that there are misperceptions of journalists. Many residents are still not aware of the role the media plays information and education of the public hence some still shy away from approaching media in case of a lead or a story as they think they will be asked to pay for their stories to receive coverage, others were afraid their identity would be revealed and therefore feared to comment on issues they deem as being sensitive such as the correlation between the flower farms and pollution.

Paid to kill stories

The journalists told that journalists get phone calls where they are offered money to kill stories when the stories can harm their business. A problem is that journalists have very low salaries in Kenya which makes them easy targets for corruption. If the journalist still sends the story to the editor, there is also a risk that the editor will be offered money, and kill the story.

Environmentalists and journalists represented

Mr. Andrew Korinko ole Koisamou an Officer from the Centre for Pastoralist Development (CEPAD) was recommended by a local environmental organization to give a presentation on the environmental challenges experienced by the Naivasha residents. In his presentation, Koisamu focused on  many of the biological challenges ranging from the loss of biological diversity, destruction of wetland vegetation (papyrus) by burning and draining, thus removing a natural filter that prevents silt and agrochemicals from flowing into the lake consequently  endangering of species such as birds and wild animals like hippos and buffaloes. Other areas of focus included the direct impacts the man initiated environmental degradation including that of Lake Naivasha consequently giving way to adverse effects such as land grabbing of the riparian and diminishing of livelihoods earned through tourism and fishing.

Other organizations that were present at the forum included Elsamere and Water and Sanitation for the Poor (WSUP) which represented the local environmental organizations.

During the presentation by CEPAD the local community revealed that they had a lot of fear of the consequences of the pollution. For instance some had seen strange looking fish; whilst others were afraid their children would become ill after inhaling the contaminated air around the flower farms..The Naivasha residents are still very concerned about their health and environment after seeing that the lake is shrinking, experiencing the sudden death of  fish as reported recently in the media.

Conclusions

• Citizens have the power to change society.
• Journalists are obliged to uphold the code of ethics that governs their profession ranging from protection of sources.
• There is dire need to formulate a future strategy that could create a platform for partnership between the local community and local organizations focusing on environmental issues within their vicinity and how they could approach media jointly.
• Local communities should not limit themselves to local journalists, but should also consider contacting national or even international media, since the flower industry is global and environmental issues are high up on the agenda in other parts of the world.

AMWIK would like to relay her sincere gratitude to all the participants and moderators for making the event as interesting and inspiring.