Kenyan Journalists Petition Parliament to Investigate Labour Exploitation by International Media Houses

A group of Kenyan journalists working for major international news organisations, including the Associated Press (AP), Reuters, CNN, Al Jazeera, Bloomberg News, Voice of America and BBC Africa, have has formally requested a parliamentary inquiry into allegations of labour exploitation, discriminatory pay, and rights violations.

The petition was presented to Parliament by Funyula Member of Parliament, Dr. Wilberforce Oundo, who read a statement on behalf of the journalists. In their submission, the journalists accuse international media houses of underpayment of Kenyan freelancers and staff, while their foreign counterparts receive significantly higher compensation for similar or identical roles.

According to the statement, Kenyan freelancers are reportedly paid as little as $150 per assignment, whereas foreign freelancers working for the same organisations earn up to $1,500 for comparable work.

The disparity extends to salaried positions as well. The petition alleges that Kenyan staff members receive approximately $1,500 per month, while foreign journalists in similar roles earn as much as $10,000 monthly.

The petition notes that Kenya currently hosts the largest number of foreign correspondents in Africa. This is largely because many other African nations have enacted strict laws that prohibit foreigners from freelancing within their borders, making Kenya a more accessible base for international media operations.

The journalists further accuse international media houses of bringing in reporters and producers from other countries to work in Kenya, while refusing to hire qualified Kenyans for the same positions.

The petition alleges that Kenyan journalists who raise concerns about pay disparities and racial discrimination are subsequently blacklisted from future work by bureau chiefs. This practice, the journalists claim, has created a culture of fear that discourages workers from speaking out against exploitation. Parliament has yet to announce whether it will formally launch the requested investigation.