…set to tackle COVID 19
Disturbed by the ravaging effect of the novel corona virus pandemic on journalists in Africa Leaders of African Journalists organisations have today launched the Congress of African Journalists (CAJ) to face the current challenging effects of COVID-19 and the collateral impacts on press freedom, the safety of journalists, access to information, affecting journalists in the course of their work.
The virtual inaugural meeting to launch the Congress was hosted by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) with the attendance of participants from: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria,
Senegal, Somalia, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, and Zimbabwe.
The Congress set-up an Interim Governing Council of six (6) members presided by Alexandre Niyungeko (President of Union of Burundi Journalists).
Other members of the Interim Governing Council consists of Foster
Dongozi (Secretary General of Zimbabwe Union of Journalists)
Vice-President, William Oloo, (Chairman of Kenya Correspondents
Association) Secretary, Patricia Adjissekou (Secretary General of Togo
Union of Independent Journalists) Treasurer; Christopher Isiguzo,
(President of Nigeria Union of Journalists), and Aicha Ahmed Youssouf
(President of Djibouti Union of the Press and Audiovisual).
“On the launch of this Congress of African Journalists we commend all
African journalists for their dedication to press freedom and access to
information for the general public. We call on African Governments to
empower the journalists and media organisations to do their work
efficiently in this trying moment of COVID19.” said the Interim
President of CAJ
Reports all over the Africa reveals that many journalists have fallen sick or died of COVID19, and others have been victimised in the course of their duties as essential workers in the frontline to inform the general public.
“We condole with the victims and their families ” the CAJ added.
The CAJ condemns all attacks on journalists, and calls for the release
of all journalists in prison in Africa.
The CAJ will continue to engage with all Governments, the African Union
and partners in expanding freedom of expression and access to
information for good governance and welfare of the people in Africa.
*For more information, contact: admin@africanjournalists.org;*
*cajournalists@gmail.com*
*Tel of Secretary : +254 786 396 945; Tel of President:+250 738 286 581*
