By Rodgers Omondi, Busia
Media practitioners in Busia County are calling on media owners and employers to prioritise the mental wellbeing of their staff, citing high stress levels, poor pay, and exposure to traumatic events as key contributors to mental health challenges in the industry.
This appeal was made during a mental health sensitisation forum organised by Dhamira Moja CBO, in partnership with TrustLab and the European Union, under the Safe Voice 040 programme. The initiative seeks to raise awareness on mental health issues affecting journalists and bloggers in the region.
Dhamira Moja Executive Director Sarah Martha noted that poor remuneration and unfavourable working conditions are major triggers of stress and depression among media workers.
“Through our interactions, we have discovered that many journalists are either poorly paid or not paid at all. These financial struggles often lead to depression. We are urging media owners to improve the welfare of their employees by offering better pay and prioritising mental wellness,” said Martha.
She added that the nature of journalistic work, which often involves covering tragic and high-stress events such as accidents, violence, and abuse, increases vulnerability to trauma.
“A depressed person cannot be productive. Journalists are among the first responders in crisis situations—they witness gruesome scenes that can leave lasting mental scars. There is a pressing need for regular counselling and mental health support,” she emphasised.
Roselyne Wandaki from Friendly Innovative Development Solutions (FIDS) stressed the importance of having a designated mental health professional in media organisations.
“Media houses should consider employing a counselling psychologist to support journalists as they deal with the emotional toll of their work,” Wandaki said.
She also highlighted the gap between public perception and the realities journalists face. “The community hears them on radio or sees them on TV and assumes they are living comfortable lives. In reality, many suffer in silence, unable to express their struggles.”
Winny Ongere, a journalist from Bulala FM, shared how emotionally taxing it is to cover stories involving violence against women and children.
“When you report on cases like a child being thrown into a latrine, or widespread domestic abuse, it affects you deeply—especially as a woman and a mother. These stories stay with you. Without proper mental support, we carry these traumas home,” she said.
Emmanuel Jumah from Busia Border Radio echoed similar sentiments, recounting the psychological impact of covering violent deaths.
“I’ve covered stories involving brutal killings. The images are disturbing and hard to forget. This training has helped me understand how to cope and stay mentally fit in such situations,” he said.
As the sensitisation programme continues, organisers hope that newsrooms across the country will adopt proactive mental health policies to support journalists—many of whom work under immense pressure with limited support systems.
