The event held virtually marked a critical milestone as the 19-year-old organization elected new leaders and charted its course for the future, including plans to host the International Federation of Agriculture Journalists (IFAJ) in 2025.
During the AGA, MESHA Secretary Captain Aghan Daniel underscored the importance of innovation in journalism, urging members to adopt modern storytelling tools such as mobile journalism, solutions journalism, and the use of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence.
“The media landscape is fast changing, and that is why at MESHA, we focus on building the capacity of journalists to match the changing tides,” he emphasized.
The highlight of the event was the democratic election of MESHA’s new leadership team, reflecting the association’s commitment to transparency and governance.
Bozo Jenje from the Technical University of Mombasa was re-elected the Chairperson, while Nduta Waweru of Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevölkerung (DSW) Kenya was elected Vice Chairperson, John Riaga retained his position as Treasurer, alongside newly elected board members John Muchangi, Sharon Atieno (Science Africa), Robert Malala (Nyota TV), and Asha Bekidusa (Citizen Radio) were elected for first time joining the board member team.
In his acceptance speech, Jenje emphasized the importance of collaboration, urging the board and members to work harmoniously to achieve MESHA’s goals.
Members expressed optimism about the future, highlighting MESHA’s track record of training over 40 journalists this year in cutting-edge journalism skills and providing story grants and mentorship opportunities.
Looking ahead, MESHA plans to lead a consortium project on action research and climate change across five East and Southern African countries, uniting scientists and journalists.
MESHA association is preparing to host the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) conference in Nairobi in October 2025 to 2027 bringing together 500 global journalists.
As the association approaches its 20th anniversary, it remains steadfast in advancing high-quality media coverage in the environment, science, health, and agriculture, empowering journalists to tell impactful African science stories
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