These are the standards every Waryahe journalist and contributor works to. They follow the Code of Conduct for the Practice of Journalism in Kenya, set by the Media Council of Kenya.
1. Accuracy
- We check facts before we publish and, where possible, confirm important claims with more than one source.
- When figures differ between sources, such as casualty counts, we give each figure with its source rather than choosing one.
- We say clearly when something is unconfirmed.
- Headlines and images must reflect the story fairly.
2. Fairness and balance
- We give people we report on a fair chance to respond to serious allegations before publication.
- On contested political issues, we present the main sides fairly and do not take sides in our news coverage.
- We do not describe whole communities, clans or groups by the actions of individuals.
3. Independence
- Our journalism is not for sale. Advertisers, owners, funders and politicians have no say over what we report.
- Staff declare any personal, business or political interest in a story they work on.
- We do not accept gifts, payments or favours in return for coverage.
4. News and opinion
News stories report facts. Opinion pieces are labelled Opinion. Paid content is labelled Sponsored and is never presented as news.
5. Sources
- We name our sources wherever we can and credit other outlets whose reporting we use.
- We use anonymous sources only when the information is important, the source has good reason to fear harm, and an editor approves.
- We protect confidential sources.
6. Images
We use our own photos, licensed photos and credited stock images. When an image does not show the actual event, the caption says so. We do not alter photos in ways that mislead.
7. Harm, privacy and sensitive coverage
We take special care when reporting on children, victims of crime, sexual violence, mental health, suicide and grief. We do not identify children in crime or abuse stories, or survivors of sexual violence, without proper consent. We avoid graphic images unless they are essential, and we respect privacy unless there is a clear public interest.
8. Hate speech and incitement
We do not publish content that promotes hatred or violence against any person or group because of ethnicity, clan, religion, gender or nationality, and we moderate comments on the same basis.
9. Corrections
We correct errors promptly and openly. See our Corrections page.
Complaints
If you believe we have broken this code, email editor@afrisoma.com. If you are not satisfied with our response, you can complain to the Complaints Commission of the Media Council of Kenya.