Kenya Red Cross Society in Mombasa County has embarked on a mission to sensitize the media on disaster management towards curbing possible disasters especially during the ongoing rainy season.
Speaking to journalists during a seminar at the Mombasa offices, the Regional Manager, Kenya Red Cross Society (KRC) Hassan Musa called upon all media personalities and media houses to create more awareness to the public about KRC services.
The seminar was aimed at appraising the journalists with the day to day activities of the KRC of how they manage calamities and respond to different types of incidents that occur.
Musa said that the main challenge they were facing as KRC was the issue of blood donation. “We receive many calls on the daily from the public appealing for blood but we rarely receive calls from the public wanting to donate blood,” he said.
When asked about the ongoing rains in Mombasa County, Hassan stated that this year’s rain hasn’t caused much floods but has instead brought blessings.
For the two months it has rained, farmers have planted and are waiting for the harvest season, he noted.
Anne Mucheke, Deputy Communication Coordinator ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) Nairobi Regional Delegation asked journalists and media houses to always publish truthful and factual information.
While touching on the prohibition of arbitrary arrest and right to fair trials, Mucheke encouraged the journalists saying, “You have a right to fair trial and have a right to protest against arbitrary arrest, they must tell you why they are arresting you”.
The deputy also reminded journalists to avoid getting involved in conflicts refrain from allying any team for their only cover is the lens and the public outcry.
Mucheke also cautioned the journalists who tended to ignore these rules while trying to outshine the rest in either getting the perfect picture or headline but ended up misinforming people or even causing harm to the public.
“But you know there are people who follow rules and others who are just ignorant, these days as you have seen, there are so many reports, most which don’t really follow rules, they don’t even know what they’re doing, they are copying stuff everywhere,” she pointed out.
Mucheke encouraged journalists to promote the good things our country is doing and also promote the good (KRC) is doing.
By Wangari Mwangi and Rehema Ravoga
