Njiru to introduce SJAK awards if elected the association Vice Chairman

Eric Njiru in Qatar for 2022 FIFA World Cup

Homeboyz Radio sports journalist Eric Njiru has promised to motivate the welfare of colleagues through introduction of rewarding awards in case elected the vice chairperson of Sports Journalists Association of Kenya (SJAK) during the upcoming fifth Annual general Meeting set for March this year.

Njiru who has specialised most in social media especially on twitter as his mode of disseminating sporting information said he will push for transparency of all engagements pertaining the members of association in a bid to restore sanity and order.

"With SJAK elections slightly over a month away I am this morning announcing to you I will be vying for the position of the Vice-Chairman. I plan to do two main things:"

"1. Advocate for transparency, equality and respect. Everything about SJAK should be made public. If there are trips or trainings communication should be sent to all MEMBERS before it is decided who is going to be sent out and lay out the criteria and procedure to be used. Openness!"

"2. Organize SJAK awards. I’ll lead a committee that will organize awards to recognize excellence in Kenyan sports journalism every year. I already sent a proposal to the outgoing SJAK office in April 2022 so it’s a matter of actioning it. If elected, we’ll have Sports Journalists Awards on Monday December 18, 2023. I don’t understand why we don’t have these awards." read his statement

The youthful scribe who was in Qatar for the coverage of 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament further revealed that he will use the knowledge acquired in Arabic nation through his interaction with colleagues across the globe to shape the local sporting journalism.

In 2018 in the streets of Nairobi,he spotted a Kenyan boy named Lawrence in a self-made former Arsenal and Real Madrid star Mesut Ozil shirt.

The ex Germany international who currently feature for Süper Lig club İstanbul Başakşehir would later sent the young fan various gifts including signed Arsenal jerseys.

The current holder of the position James Magayi of Mozzart Bet will not be defending the seat according to reliable sources.

In 2018, veteran journalist and Sports Editor at the Star Newspaper Chris Mbaisi,his deputy Magayi, Secretary General Mike Okinyi of Royal media Services, Treasurer Alex Isaboke of Capital FM were elected unopposed.

Others who have declared their candidature include City Review newspaper’s Elvince Joshua who is eyeing Secretary General position.

’’I just want an all inclusive association where every sports journalist in Kenya will have a voice and value for being a member. We have an association that doesn’t value its members. If you want to know that we have a problem, why would some senior members stay away from the activities of SJAK’’ he posed.

SJAK was inaugurated in 2014 with the intention of shaping the quality of sports journalism with annual workshops to educate reporters on ethics, doping and sports writing skills.

Through SJAK’s affiliation with Association of International Sports Press (AIPS) a number of reporters from the writers drawn from various publications receive training and exposure in global athletics events like IAAF World Championships and Diamond League meetings