NAIROBI – Zubeidah Kananu will continue to lead Kenya’s top editors’ body after defeating fellow journalist Yvonne Okwara in a closely watched election on Saturday.
Kananu, the incumbent president of the Kenya Editors’ Guild (KEG), won 72 votes to Okwara’s 58, securing a second two-year term at the helm of the influential organisation. A total of 130 valid votes were cast in the presidential contest, according to KEG’s returning officer, Advocate Sophie Kaibiria.
The vote, originally scheduled for April but delayed over quorum issues, was conducted electronically.
Both Kananu and Okwara are well-known figures in Kenyan journalism, with decades of combined experience in newsrooms and on air. Their campaigns had been viewed as a contest not only of personalities but also of vision, with members weighing the future direction of an industry navigating shrinking revenues, digital disruption, and political pressures.
In her victory remarks, Kananu struck a conciliatory tone.
“This was a contest between colleagues, not competitors,” she said. “I thank all members for their trust, and I pledge to continue advocating for editorial independence and press freedom.”
She added that the Guild would focus on strengthening professional standards and defending journalists facing threats or harassment.
Okwara, a prominent anchor at Citizen TV, congratulated Kananu and urged unity within the Guild.
“We may have differed on approach, but not on purpose,” she said. “We all want a strong, credible media. That work continues.”
Elsewhere in the KEG elections, Agnes Mwangangi won the seat for Council Member (Radio), defeating Toepista Nabusoba by 65 votes to 59. In the race for Council Member (Academia), Dr Julius Ombui Bosire beat Nathan Nayere Masambu with 73 votes to 48.
Several other positions were uncontested and the candidates declared elected unopposed. They include Francis Openda as Vice President, Linda Bach for Print Media, Kenfrey Kiberenge for Online Media, and Milicent Awuor for Television.
The Guild’s new Trustees are Martin Masai, Ruth Nesoba, and Mbugua Ng’ang’a.
Founded to promote editorial freedom and ethical journalism, KEG plays an increasingly visible role in national discourse. The new leadership takes office at a time when Kenya’s media landscape faces growing challenges—from political interference and newsroom layoffs to the rise of misinformation online.
Observers say the election of a strong and balanced council could help steady the sector.
“The Guild needs to be more than a watchdog it must be a builder of trust between the public and the press,” said Wanjiru Kibe, a media analyst at the University of Nairobi. “This team has the experience to do just that, but they’ll have to prove it quickly.”
For Kananu, who will now serve until 2027, the win is both a personal endorsement and a professional mandate.
“The fight for press freedom is never over,” she said. “But as long as we stand together, the truth will always find a voice.”
