John-Allan Namu calls podcasters taking cash from politicians: "Giving us a bad name"

John-Allan Namu says Kenyan podcasters taking politicians’ cash risk damaging journalism and cementing the ‘githeri media’ label across the profession in Kenya

John-Allan Namu Calls Out Podcasters Taking Cash From Politicians: 'Giving Us a Bad Name'Veteran investigative journalist John-Allan Namu called out a section of Kenyan podcasters for accepting large sums of money from politicians and passing it off as journalismNamu spoke exclusively to TUKO.co.ke at the OAT Media Forum, warning that the trend is earning the media industry the label 'Githeri media'The Africa Uncensored founder urged journalists to guard the profession and stamp out the culture of brown envelopesPAY ATTENTION: Mark TUKO.co.ke as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!

Investigative journalist John-Allan Namu has taken direct aim at Kenyan podcasters he accuses of collecting large amounts of money from politicians, warning that the behaviour is dragging the entire media profession through the mud.

Namu, founder of Africa Uncensored, made the remarks in an exclusive interview with TUKO.co.ke at the OAT Media Forum. Speaking in a serious and measured tone, he made clear that he views the trend as a genuine threat to credible journalism in Kenya.

Namu warned that tolerating such conduct is giving rise to a damaging nickname for the Kenyan press. He specifically referenced the term "githeri media," a label he fears will cement itself if the industry fails to act.

For Namu, the frustration is personal. He described the immense effort he puts into every piece of work his outlet produces, arguing that transactional conduct by others undermines that dedication.

Beyond naming the problem, Namu issued a direct challenge to fellow media practitioners to protect journalism as a livelihood and a public service.

His comments land at a moment when the boundaries between content creation, podcasting and traditional journalism are increasingly difficult to define in Kenya, with politicians gravitating towards friendly podcast appearances over conventional press scrutiny.

Patricia Tonui (Entertainment editor) Patricia Tonui is a journalist and an entertainment editor at TUKO.co.ke. She was a Broadcast Journalism student at the University of Nairobi, class of 2022, and has a five-year experience working in digital media, having previously worked at mpasho.co.ke. Patricia joined Tuko.co.ke in 2022. Reach out to patricia.tunoi@tuko.co.ke if you have entertaining and informative news to share.