K24 TV crime and investigative reporter Franklin Wallah has resigned, citing frustration from management. Wallah, who is rumoured to be joining KTN, revealed his departure from K24, the television arm of Mediamax, barely a week after his return from Somalia, where he covered AMISOM’s fight against Al Shabaab.
The investigative stories from Somalia – Mkengeuko Wa Somalia and The Front Line – aired on Monday and Tuesday this week. Wallah has been at K24 for three years, where he has honed his skills in investigative journalism and built contacts.
He has done several exposés among them CCTV footage of the late Mary Kamangara, the slain Kori wife – Kiambu Murder, Kisirani Kisauni – Terror Gangs of Kisauni and Giza la Gaza – Terror Gangs of Kayole.
The K24 investigative desk has reportedly not been supporting investigative reporting, let alone investing in it, leaving journalists on their own. There is, for instance, no training and protection or even protective gear for crime/investigative journalists.
Also, top editors hold onto stories for too long and some are eventually overtaken by events, a source in the K24 newsroom said. Other pieces are killed without satisfactory reasons, such as Ndizi Za Sumu, Poisonous Bananas, which the desk had prepared last year.
Wallah’s exit is likely to be a blow to K24, which recently firmed up its weekend prime time news by bringing in Betty Kyalo from KTN and Anne Kiguta from Citizen TV, owned by Royal Media Services
TV stations have been sharpening their investigative teams as the battle for the audience intensifies. NTV has lately been on the offensive, releasing humanitarian investigative stories.
Before joining K24, Franklin worked as a news reporter with State broadcaster, Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC)
