This archive report was first published on 11 October 2019.
Maina Muiruri, a veteran journalist with over 25 years of experience, has been appointed Chairman of the Media Council of Kenya (MCK). The appointment was made by ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru in a Kenya Gazette notice published on October 11, 2019.
According to the notice, Maina will be assisted by a Deputy Chairperson, who will be elected by the council members. The board will comprise nine members, including Maina, who will serve for a period of three years.
The other members of the board are Roselyn Obala, a Senior Parliamentary Writer at the Standard Media Group, Susan Karago, Managing Editor at Baraka FM, Patience Nyange, Assistant Director at the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, and Tabitha Mutemi, Corporate Communication Manager at the IEBC.
Other members include Tim Wanyonyi, former Head of Content at Nation Media, Dr. Davidson Mwaisaka, Corporate Counsel, Dr. Stanley Njoroge, a university lecturer, and Gwaro Ogaro, Director at the Government Advertising Agency.
Maina's appointment comes after a three-month hiatus, following the expiry of the previous board's term. The delay was caused by a court case filed by the Consumers Federation of Kenya, which had challenged the interview process for the new board members.
However, the court later declared the interview panel, chaired by Erick Oduor, as duly constituted and within the law. The court ordered the process to be completed within seven days.
Maina, who has a Master's degree in International Studies and a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Nairobi, was picked out of nine applicants after competitive interviews.
The Media Council Act does not restrict council positions to media practitioners, and Maina's appointment marks a significant shift in the composition of the board.
The board will be responsible for implementing the MCK's Strategic Plan (2018-2023), which aims to achieve milestone goals for the media regulator.
