Finally we have the Kenya ICT Reporters Association (KIRA) that aims to herald ICT journalism in Kenya and the region to the peak.
Our Motivation
With rapid technological changes in the region, including mobile banking, undersea fibre optic cables, expanded Internet connectivity and mobile phone use, face of ICT reporting is changing fast.
Unfortunately, not many journalists are competent in this beat thus the skewed coverage of ICT matters.
In the advent of new media (Mobile, online and multimedia), Journalists cannot afford and watch as technology evolves.
We need to keep pace and understand how the emerging technology tools like Twitter, Skype, Facebook, Youtube, google reader, RSS feeds, news alerts, blogs, websites, etc can be professionally utilised by journalists.
Despite the popularity of these tech tools, very few journalists know how to interact with them leave alone, knowledge of their existence.
We need to blog, tweet, skype and subscribe to feeds to remain on top of news.
It is a fact, online and mobile news is even overtaking radio and TV in terms of speed and reach. There are predictions that Newspapers are an endangered ’species’.
Our Objective
KIRA’s key objective is to bring all journalsts with passion in technology to a common table to chart way forward on matters ICT and to seek relevant training opportunities for members.
Using our organisation , we seek to reach out to all ICT stakeholders in the country and promote ICT reporting in the country and the region.
We also intend to set the agenda by picking on relevant topics and inviting concerned stakeholders to a discussion table as often as possible.
Our Vision
To be the ultimate ICT reporting think tank in East africa. Informed and respected.
Join us, now by logging on to http://www.kirakenya.com (under renovation) where you will register and be part of a network that is bound to grow like a wild fire in summer.
This is the beginning…join the band wagon and help shape out a vision that will stand test of time.
Thanks.
James Ratemo,
President, KIRA.
Email:jratemo@gmail.com
Cell phone:+254-724-960-649
Current KIRA Members (ICT REPORTERS) and officials
1.President-James Ratemo (The Daily Nation) (Moved to Internews Kenya as a Digital Media tariner)
2. Deputy President-Kui Kinyanjui-Business Daily (Moved to IBM)
3.Secretary-Evelyn Wanjiru-Capital FM (Moved to Africa Practice )
4.Treasurer-Mark Okuttah-Business Daily
5.National Coordinator (Training) -James Mbugua-The Star (Moved to Africa Practice )
6.Organising Secretary-Michael Ouma-The East African (Moved to CIO East Africa)
7.Broadcast Co-coordinator-Stephen Kimani-NTV (Moved)
8.Broadcast Co-coordinator-James Karani -KTN (Moved)
9.Deputy Secretary-Kenya Times
10.Sponsorship Co-Director-KBC
10.Fredrick Obura-The Standard
10.Joseph Bonyo-The Nation
11.Deputy Sponsorship Director -K24
12.Jevas Nyabiage-The Nation (Moved to The Standar)
13.Macharia Kamau-The Standard
14.Jackson Okoth-The Standard
15.Peter Wakaba-KTN (Moved to CCTV)
16.Patrick Githinji-CEO Africa (Moved)
17.Deputy Treasurer -The People
18.Sponsorship Co-Director-Kenya News Agency/Kenya Today
19.Correspondents Co-Coordinator-Kenya Times
20.Beatrice Obwocha-The Standard-Nakuru (Moved to the Daily Nation)
21.Rebecca Wanjiku-International Coordinator- (Online) IDC
22.Larry Madowo-KTN (Moved to NTV)
23.Wangara, Yusuf-The Sunday Express
24.Sammy Mwangi-Business Journal
25.Zachary Ochuodho-
26. Raphael Okoth-
27. Pascal Mbela
28.Linet Igadwah-Kenya Times (Moved to Nairobi News)
29.Expression Today
30. George Kebaso
31.Daisy Mang’era-KNA
32.Ramadhan Rajab-The Star
33.Anne Kanina-Kenya Today (Defunct) (Moved to Daily Nation)
34-Peter Wakaba-KTN (Moved to CCTV)
35.Timothy Makokha-The Standard (Business Deputy Editor)
36.Winfred Kagwe-The Star
N/B-Membership is open to current, upcoming and aspiring ICT/Business/Environmental/Health reporters with unwavering passion in relevant technology.
We look forward to designing our own site but meanwhile send an email requesting registration to jratemo@gmail.com and on your subject or Ref: field, write KIRA registration. Thanks
A one-stop-shop for Tech Info and news 
Hi,
I am a freelance writer for SourcingLine and I was wondering if you were interested in guest posts.
thank you,
Jacob Cherian
India
Jacob feel free to drop in a post…I am open for that
I visited your page and was requesting if you could send me a case study of ICT Outsourcing Impact on a Kenyan organization. This will assist me in my research project at KIM.
Thanks.
Mwangi I do not fully your question…i do not know of such a study but you could coantct gust at the Kenya BPO Society or Kenya ICT Board to learn more. Yould as well visit their sites, http://www.ict.go.ke and http://www.kenyabposociety.or.ke
I am impressed at your initiative. One it highlights that Kenyan Journalists are a cut above the rest and rather than resent the advent of the untrained, unstructured Citizen Journalism that is finding expression through social media ,you are embracing it, you are demonstrating that you shall lead the pack by virtue of your experience ,training and profession.
Indeed by doing so you will remain relevant as the methods of delivery of information continue to morph in this generation! Kudos!
Thank you for the kind words. Its either we embrace emerging technology or we are rendered obsolete
good organization
Which is the best day for a KIRA workshop, Thursday, Friday or Monday? Morning or Afternoon? I need your suggestions. A workshop sponsored by Microsoft is in the Oven. We finalize plans this Friday, 13th May.
The Microsoft workshop was a success…let us keep up the spirit
This is a good forum. It gives a professional representation to issues of ICT. It also gives the ICT field a forum to uniquely represent itself, and present it’s views, right from strategic management to performance reviews, and giving it’s own reports. Let us not have other departments give reports on ICT and plan ICT goals. Let us embrace teamwork as we continue being part of the driving force in institutions, and also partner with the rest of the people in embracing ICT to improve on productivity. Let’s continue with what you have started and support you in all ways.
good work