Maurice Otieno has announced his departure as Executive Director of Baraza Media Lab, a Kenyan media innovation organization he helped grow over six years. He will be succeeded by Eric Kinaga, a specialist in governance and public finance.

Otieno joined Baraza Media Lab’s founding team in 2019 and took over as Executive Director in April 2020, amid the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Under his leadership, the organization expanded from a small startup with three staff members to a major continental journalism support platform with about 40 employees.

Growth and Impact

  • Raised approximately $15 to $20 million in philanthropic funding from over 300 donors.
  • Expanded reach from 1,500 to 12,000 people, engaging around 7,000 monthly through journalism, innovation, and civic programs.
  • Established key initiatives including the Data Storytelling Fellowship, She Leads Media, FumbuaKE collective, and a Media Innovation Incubator.
  • Launched the Africa Media Festival, attracting over 200 organizations from 31 countries.
  • Implemented governance improvements, including the first fiduciary board, 40+ organizational policies, and monitoring and evaluation systems.
  • Reduced staff turnover by 20%.

New Leadership and Future Focus

Eric Kinaga, with nearly a decade of experience in public finance, governance, and accountability at organizations like USAID Kenya and Transparency International Kenya, will assume leadership. He previously coordinated the Shule Yangu Alliance, which secured land rights for over 30,000 public schools.

Otieno emphasized the importance of leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) in ways that generate revenue for media houses, beyond simply adopting new technologies. He highlighted Baraza’s early experimentation with podcasting and creator-driven news as examples of innovation that later flourished industry-wide.

Reflecting on AI’s impact on journalism, Otieno noted it enables widespread content creation but rewards journalists who provide in-depth, well-researched work, while exposing superficial writing. He also pointed out AI’s role in drastically reducing production time for podcasts and videos.

Next Steps

Otieno clarified that he is not exiting the media or creative sectors but will shift focus to supporting funding efforts that empower young innovators in these fields. He described his departure as "stepping aside" to contribute differently rather than leaving the organization or industry entirely.