The Africa Editors Forum (TAEF) at its biannual General Meeting held in Nairobi, on February 20, 2024, elected Mr Emmanuel K Dogbevi, managing editor of the Ghana Business News portal, as its Deputy Chair.
Other elected executive members are Mr Churchill Otieno (Kenya) – Chairperson, Madam Emang Mutapati (Botswana) – General Secretary and Mr Sbu Ngalwa (South Africa) – Treasurer General.
The new four-member executive committee will steer the affairs of the Organisation for a two-year term.
The election was held on the sidelines of the Africa Media Festival, with members participating in-person and virtually.
Mr Otieno said in the vast and dynamic landscape of African media, the role as custodians of information, guardians of press freedom, and champions of ethical journalism had never been more critical.
“Today, we find ourselves navigating through turbulent waters where the very essence of truth is under siege. In the face of censorship, intimidation, and the insidious spread of disinformation, our commitment to upholding the principles of journalistic integrity must remain unwavering. For it is in the pursuit of truth that we find our purpose, our strength, and our collective voice.”
“In amplifying the voices of the marginalised, holding the powerful to account, and shining a light on the darkest corners of society, we affirm our commitment to justice, equality, and the pursuit of a better tomorrow,” he said.
The Meeting considered among others, the urgent need for continental cooperation, solidarity, and finding suitable solutions for the future sustainability of Journalism in Africa.
The Meeting also committed to innovation and the building of future newsrooms that were more fitted to respond to numerous challenges often faced by news organisations.
Mr Dogbevi said: “Our election at this crucial moment in the life of TAEF, particularly so, because of the decline of democracy on the continent and the sustainability challenges facing the media, requires that we remain steadfast and continue to work to ensure that Journalism on the continent is as important as ever, and journalists feel safe to do their work.”
“This is also the time to work hard to revive all the other Editors’ groups on the continent, including Ghana, that have been inactive for some time now. This is by no means an easy task but must be done.”
Madam Mutapati said it was a great honour to be entrusted with the critical role of the TAEF Secretary General.
“I accepted the nomination with a profound sense of responsibility and a realisation of the daunting task that lay ahead of us to take the baton and further the important objectives of TAEF, which include but are not limited to fostering and defending media freedom through all available institutions throughout the continent of Africa,” she said.
Mr Ngalwa said journalists in Africa were facing challenges that required a strong TAEF and even stronger continental collaboration among journalists and media houses on the continent.
“It is an honour to be elected to the leadership of this important Organisation at such a crucial time in our lives as journalists. The headwinds ahead of us require the new TAEF leadership to be steadfast in its commitment to ensure that as African journalists, we continue to tell the unfolding stories of our respective countries and of Africa as a whole – notwithstanding the challenges we face especially around the sustainability of the media industry. I believe that this leadership collective is equal to the task,” he said.
The other council members elected are Durra Gambo from Sudan, Zubeida Kananu from Kenya, Marrianne Mujind Muland from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zine Cherfaoui from Algeria.
The council members are joined by 15 other members representing the five regions of TAEF – making it the most diverse in gender, age, and regional representation.
Mathatha Tsedu, veteran South African journalist and founding member of TAEF, was honoured at the AGM with a Lifetime Service to Journalism Award.
GNA
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26 Feb. 2024
