The management of Islamic radio station IQRA today got a rude shock when journalists went on a go-slow to protest poor pay and a hostile working environment.
IQRA FM journalists reported on duty but declined to take up any assignments. The most affected was the newsdesk, which prepares news bulletins. The strike disrupted programming, forcing the station to replay recorded programmes, according to a report in The Star.
Newsroom staff at IQRA FM, majority owned by SUPKEM, are paid as low as Ksh10,000 per month. They also took issue with the station manager, whom they termed unprofessional, claiming he distorts articles by editing since he doesn’t have journalism background. “The organisation pays us poorly and like casual labourers, in cash, and we never receive full pay. If you earn Ksh10,000 a month you might be paid half of it mid-month and promised the other half later,” one said.
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Salaries have accrued for months, they said, despite the management’s promise to clear the arrears. They said they resorted to the strike after their plight was ignored. “We forwarded our complaints to the board a year ago. Nothing changed. We reminded them two months ago and gave a month’s ultimatum which lapsed a week ago,” said a journalist who is participating in the strike.
The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims owns 51 percent of the Nairobi-based station. When reached for comment, station manager Hassan Kimwinyi said he was neither aware of the strike nor the accusations. But Supkem’s organising secretary Sharrif Hussein, who is the station’s managing director said: “We are aware of the happenings at the station and are trying to intervene.
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