Edwin Kibiwott Koross was born in 1982 in a rural village called Kibendo in Keiyo district. Koross has proved himself a young journalist with passion for environmental issues through incisive and well researched articles  for the The Star in Kenya. Before joining the stare he worked for the Daily Nation,

Coming from pastoral background where people depend on livestock for their livelihoods, Koros was introduced to sustainable use of the environment by his mother, Mrs. Salina Kabon, who is an herbalist when he was a lad in standard four.

His mother used to send him to go and pick the best herbs for her customers at the wildlife infested Kerio Valley every Saturday. “One day, I told her the roots were running out and it was difficult finding them,” recalls Koros.

His mother a few days later accompanied him into the bush and she was furious at how he had uprooted the plants looking for the vital roots.

“You should not do this way again” she advised “lest your children will not have medicine by the time you will marry”. Since then he has been taking care of the roots.

The greatest challenge facing environment in Kenya is the depletion of the country’s forest cover. The cover is shrinking so fast; thanks to encroachment and lack of political good will as seen in the Mau forest case.

Pollution is also a major factor and Kenya is rated among the leading polluters of water in the world- Rivers Nairobi and Kiserian are testimonies and as to whether this will end soon remains a wonder in the minds of many in Kenya .

It is for these that Koros is today distinguishing himself as one of those committed to championing the cause for environment and science journalism in Kenya . And he says, “Let’s focus on environment for good health.”

Duncan Mboya currently works with African Woman and Child Feature Service (AWC Features) where he writes features on Environment and Science. He joined the AWC Feature in October 2007 after working for Biosafety News (2002 – 2007) and the Kenya News Agency (KNA) – 1989 - 2000. He has written hundreds of articles on Health, Environment, Agriculture, Biotechnology and socio-economic development.

He contributed a chapter on Biotechnology: Eastern African Perspective on Sustainable Development and Trade Policy – Stakeholders Awareness and Participation in Biotechnology Policy Making in Eastern African countries.

Duncan was second runner up on Biotechnology Reporting award for the year 2003 in Kenya. He holds a Diploma in Journalism from Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC), Certificate in Heath and Environment Reporting, Certificate in Investigative Journalism, Certificate in Reporting climate change and Certificate in Conflict Sensitive Journalism. He has enrolled for his degree classes and due to start classes this year.

A practicing Christian, Duncan was born in western part of Kenya near the shores of Lake Victoria 41 years ago. “My place in life is educating people, through my writings, about what is happening to our environment with the sole aim of changing their attitude towards a better environment,” he says.

Joe Ageyo is the News Editor of NTV. He holds a Masters degree in Environmental Governance from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom.

Joe joined NTV from KTN in February 2005 in the position of Alternate News Editor. Joe is widely acclaimed as having pioneered Environmental Journalism on television in Kenya. He was the first TV journalist to start a regular slot for an environmental feature- first with Ecojournal on KTN and later C21 on NTV. In 2001 he was declared “Environmental Journalist of the Year” by the National Media Trust in recognition of his series of features on the pollution of the Nairobi River and the Sanitation Crisis in Kibera slums. In 2002 he was one of 60 journalists from around the world who won a competition staged by the World Bank to attend the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. He has covered important international meetings such as the11th and 12th Sessions of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development in New York in 2003 and 2004, the 3rd World Water Forum in Kyoto, Japan in 2003, the 60th Session of the UN General Assembly in 2005 and the CITES Conference of Parties meeting in the Hague in 2007. In 2009 he produced a documentary on global environmental governance for the Global Environmental Governance Project of the College of William and Mary. But Joe is also an all round journalist who has covered key political stories such as the 2007 General Election in Nigeria and the 2006 controversial presidential elections in Uganda. As News Editor he presided over the coverage of the 2005 constitution referendum and the 2007 disputed presidential elections in Kenya. Joe holds a Bachelor of Agribusiness Management from Egerton University, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Mass Communication from the School of Journalism, University of Nairobi and a certificate in Advanced Studies in Environmental Diplomacy from the University of Geneva, Switzerland.

Catherine Karongo is prolific science journalist working for 98.4 Capital FM and the digital division is news.capitalfm.co.ke. She has been to various international fora on science and thus gaining invaluable experience helpful in collection and dissemination of science stories.

She was one of e Kenyan journalists who attended the World Conference of Science Journalists held in Melbourne, Australia in April 2007.

Her fields of interest include health and environmental related issues. Currently, she is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication and Public Relations at the Moi University.

Noah Otieno has cut a niche for himself as a creative science journalist after joining Kenya’s foremost television station, KTN as reporter. The fluentLuo, English andKiswahili speaking journalist graduated from Kenyatta University in May 2001 with First class honours in Bachelor of Arts Degree in English, Literature and History.Before joining KTN Otieno was a teacher of English with special responsibility for exam classes and was head of the languages department.

Besides he has excellent computer knowledge in Ms Word, Excel, Access, Internet and PowerPoint.

At KTN he is a reporter working with people and preparing periodic reports. An open, friendly and able to work in a team, Otieno is very good at meeting deadlines. His interests include creative writing, drama, public speaking, reading, computers and physical fitness.

Maureen Mudi is an experienced journalist with The Star and she is based in Mombasa where she has penned extensively on coastal issues

She has been in the media industry since 2001 after attaining her Diploma in Mass communication.  In 2006, she went for an exchange program organised by the Association of Media Women in Kenya for a one year period in Ethiopia and Uganda where she realised the importance of environmental issues and attended various meetings on the Lake Basin Initiative among others.

While at The Standard that she worked for from 2002-2009, Muareen had numerous articles on environmental issues especially on the Coastal region.

She has also attended key environmental seminars organised by the Institute for Law and Environmental Governance http://www.ilegkenya.org/ and others on Climate change concerned bodies.

John Muchangi is one of Kenya's science journalists with a passion for the subject. He has been a full time practising journalist since 2005. He served as the science editor at the People Daily and later in 2007 joined Nairobi Star, Now The Star, newspaper as part of the pioneer team.

He has been a news sub editor and now dabbles as a Science Writer as well as editing features. He has training in journalism within the country and has also done short courses outside Kenya. His works are also widely published. As a member of KENSJA, his contributions to the promotion of science journalism will no doubt be a major asset. "The setting up of KENJSA was a wonderful thing and it represents the spirit  and true aspirations of science journalists and science journalism in this country," says Muchangi.

Weldon arap Kirui is a features writer and producer with the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC radio), national broadcaster. He specialises in production of programmes on agriculture, science and environment. He hails I from a resource-rich Rift Valley hence hi interest in agriculture, which is the backbone of Kenya’s economy and source of livelihood for millions of people.

Kirui’s prorammes are tailored to impart knowledge on farmers for good framing practices and increased production

 He has been in the field of journalism since joining the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC) in 1993. He started writing for newspapers immediately after joining KIMC and has since made writing my hobby.

Kirui comments on various issues but mostly those to do with Egyptology, which is a new branch of knowledge.

He has had the opportunity to train in Radio Deuchwelle, Bonn and Berlin for a course on Reporting Globalisation which took place 2005. His earliest programme at KBC was titled World of Science in which he covered many topics on scientific issues.

In addition to current work at the KBC he also writes for an American NGO, Tehuti Research Foundation on African domination of sacred and secret science which enabled Africans to conquer Mesoamerica and other parts of the world when civilization was beginning to dawn in the west and Asia.(brows by clicking my names.

Thomas Mazera Nduriya is currently working with the Nation Media Group in Mombasa as a journalist in a career that spans more than 15 years of active journalism. He started off his journalistic journey as an Information Officer with the Ministry of Information’s Kenya News Agency where he was at first attached to the Rural Press Extension Project. In 2007, he was declared the Nation Media Group Correspondent of the Year, for his incisive news and features stories that were published in most of the NMG publications.

He has attended several courses with the recent one being Environmental Journalism Focusing on Coastal Management in Zanzibar and Mombasa . The training which brought together seasoned environmental journalists from Kenya , Tanzania , Zanzibar and Seychelles was organized and sponsored by the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA) and the Institute for Further Education of Journalists (FOJO) of Sweden .

In 2007, he attended a Course on Environmental Reporting by the Commonwealth Press Union and conducted by the Guardian Newspaper Environment Editor John Vidal in Nairobi , where the Kenya Environmental and Science Journalists Association (KENSJA) was formed.

His passion for science, health and environmental stories saw him nominated for a certificate Course in Packaging Population Advocacy and IEC for Journalists, under the United Nations Fund for Population (UNFPA) Regional Population - IEC Training Programme for Anglophone Africa. It was jointly conducted by the UNFPA Regional Office and the Moi University , in Eldoret.

His passion for issues relating to the environment has earned accolades from various organizations such as WIOMSA, the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI), The National Museums of Kenya among others for in-depth articles that have earned local and international acclaim

Linda Bach is a senior editor with the Standard Group in Nairobi . She has a wealth of experience in writing and editing science and news articles and has had an outstanding work with the Group’s flagship, The Standard Newspaper.

A Post-graduate Diploma in Mass Communication from the University of Nairobi and a Bachelor of Education from Kenyatta University holder, Linda also boasts of a wealth of experience from various international conferences reporting on a range of scientific issues.

In 2008, she covered the Third Aid Effectiveness Aid Conference in Accra , Ghana . She has a remarkable commitment to science reporting and will go to any lengths possible to ensure factual, balanced and independently done pieces for readers.

As an editor she has worked with various reporters assisting to make their works as insightful and as compelling as possible

Her membership of KENSJA, no doubt, guarantees the association enormous richness of knowledge and experience to tap from.

Rosalia Omungo is one of Kenya's foremost science journalists. Working with the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation [KBC], Kenya’s State Broadcaster, she has carried some of the most fascinating and educative environment and science stories.

A prolific member of the fourth estate, she specialises in environment and science reporting on the TV desk, and also contributes to radio and online. She is the brains behind, and produces a weekly segment Earth Watch, a five-minute feature segment that airs in the KBC news bulletin every Saturday 9 PM, and Sunday 1 PM.

She also hosts and co-produces a weekly live environment talk show known as Eco show in KBC. The programme airs every Thursday 9 AM.
Her proficiency in the profession and undying thirst for more knowledge and work has seen her crisscrossing the world visiting places like the United States of America, Zanzibar and Tanzania, among others, attending seminars, workshops and many other relevant gatherings

Ann Ndung'u is a Nairobi based freelance journalist. She worked for the Kenya Times Newspaper  for the media house for the last five years distinguishing herself as a science and business reporter. The paper went under in 2009 but she has remained active  penning stories for various publications

She has great passion for environmental journalism. Besides her Diploma in Journalism from Kenya institute of Mass Communication she has also attended various trainings and workshops on science journalism in the country.

“Going by the rate at which the environment is being degraded in my country, I realised there was need to highlight issues concerning this burning matter,” she says.

And Kenya’s environmental and Nobel Laureate, Wangari Maathai, is her heroine following her unwavering fight for conservation of environment in the country and internationally. Anne is a committed member of KENSJA making valuable contribution to the association’s progress

Beatrice Obwocha is a journalist working with the Standard Group in Nakuru. She has worked for the Standard, one of the two leading media houses in Kenya , as a staff reporter since 2002.

She has a passion for environmental reporting and has had many in-depth and razor-sharp articles published on the environmental degradation like the Mua Complex, the threats to Rift Valley Lakes and agriculture.

She has attended several trainings locally and overseas on environmental journalism such as Institute of Journalism in Berlin , Germany , Reuters and Commonwealth Press Union in Nairobi where the Kenya Environmental and Science Journalists Association (KENSJA) was founded. She also attended and covered the EU-Africa Summit in Portugal in 2007 where key discussions apart from trade focused on raw materials and agriculture

Wangari M. Ndirangu is a trained journalist with vast experience in the profession. She is currently working for the Kenya News Agency [KNA], a national news gathering outfit covering the entire country.

As a journalist Wangari has covered various socio-economic as well as science and environment matters. She has an amazing connoiseur  for health and environment matters leading to in-depth well structured  stories in the two areas. 

She has attended trainings on environmental issues both locally and outside. She was a beneficiary of a one year Programme Exchange Participant in 2008 in Zambia and was trained on the role of media in corporate social responsibility  in promotion of good sustainable environment from the Zambia Institute of Mass communication. She also underwent training by Thomson Foundation on Climate and Health reporting in Zambia

Violet Otindo is one of the journalist pioneers of K24 Television. She has risen from a reporter to a senior producer.  A versatile all round journalist, Otindo produces films, scripts and edits most of her stories.  She also assists as the deputy head of features department.

Her duties as producer means she ensures the weekly feature show “Nairobi Matters" which is aired twice a week. She made mark when she won the CNN/ Multi-Choice Award 2009 in the environmental category.  Otindo has passion for science and environment oriented stories

As a reporter at K24, Otindo has also carved a niche for herself as an all-round reporter covering different issues. She has reported extensively including breaking news, human interest stories that involve environment, HIV/ AIDS, women and children issues.

She is also a free lance camera woman with companies such as Urban Brew and Endemole South Africa . She has been a live show camera lady on Tusker project fame (1- 3), The" Presenter" and Top comic, among others.

The Kenya Institute of Mass Communication diploma in Radio and Television Production holder has worked with other stations such as Citizen and Sayare

Olivia Okech is a Communication Officer with GTZ Health Sector Programme since August 2010.  Until then she was a senior news reporter with Citizen TV in Kenya which was a vibrant fast growing leading media house in Kenya.

She worked for the TV station after joining in 2006. Olivia has a wide range of experience in reporting on various issues among them, health, politics, and environment.  She has participated in numerous trainings, reporting on Social conflict and Cohesion at the Radio Netherlands Training Centre, The Netherlands, reporting on environment and nature by Deutsche Welle Akademie, reporting on climate change, Reuters Foundation.

Sammy Kimutai Cheboi was born in 1981 in Karel Village of Marakwet District, and currently a Public Relations Officer  with Kenya's only agricultural and technological university, the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. Previously, he worked as a Correspondent with the Nation Media Group. for about three years. Although a trained teacher, Cheboi joined the Group in November 2007 and specialised reporting on agriculture, health, science and environmental issues for the various publications of NMG.

He holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Mass Communication from the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication and a Bachelor of Education (Arts-English/Literature) degree from Maseno University .

Growing up in the Kerio Valley region of Marawket, Cheboi can recall how, as young people, they dreaded crossing the streams that ran through their village. Today, their waters have dwindled while others have dried up, thanks to encroachment of Embobut Forest .

As young boys, they used to take their herd of cattle across Pokot East, then Baringo East, for grazing. Then there was pasture enough to support the huge livestock numbers on the Pokot side. But soon, it was a reversal of roles.

The Pokots were crossing into Marakwet, often driving their cattle into people’s farms and occasionally stealing animals-leading to a wave of cattle rustling that lasted a decade since 1991.

The clash not only revolved around struggle for livestock, it demonstrated the effects of drought that was fast hitting the Pokot side. Unfortunately, the same has recently been witnessed on the Marakwet side, and soon, there will be nowhere to run to.

Water from the Embobut Forest used to flow all the way to Kerio River and ultimately to Lake Turkana, and people used to irrigate their crops. Today, it can hardly flow half-way the valley. This has turned a permanent Kerio River into a seasonal source for Lake Turkana . 

Thus, the consequences of a few selfish ‘squatters’ who are being encouraged by short-sighted politicians is increasingly putting to risk the lives of thousands of people.

“Environmental issues are a matter of life and death. Bold actions are needed to arrest this slide to self-destruction. And the pen and camera could be such powerful tools for us members of the Fourth Estate to protect Mother Earth,” he says.

In joining KENSJA, thus, Cheboi hopes to join forces with great men and women in making a difference in the way Kenyans deal with their environment, health and agriculture.

Agatha Ngotho is a Kenyan journalist with a special interest in covering science issues that are key to national development. She is a correspondent with The People Newspaper and has also corresponded for Science Africa, Kenya Farmers – Agriculture Society of Kenya (ASK) and JET – Tanzania magazines on environment and agriculture issues.

She has attended Coastal Management training in Zanzibar and on climate change reporting in Arusha, Tanzania.

She is keen on climate change issues and has worked closely with the Kenya Climate Change Working Group (KCCWG), an umbrella of many organizations in Kenya working on climate change issues.  She bring into KENAJS a wealth of experience that will help  make the association stronger.

Dann Okoth is an award-winning journalist working with The Standard Media Group. He is the 2010 winner of the UNFPA/Kenya Media Network on Population and Development award for journalistic excellence in reproductive health and population reporting. He also won the 2006 ILO award for reporting on child labour.

At the Standard’s print media section Okoth is a senior reporter for Special Projects and Investigations. Although his work on this very demanding desk entails among other things investigating and exposing mega scandals, and other ills in society Okoth has a penchant for science and environmental writing—thus he is also the lead writer for the weekly Panorama pullout in the Standard newspaper which deals with Science, environment and health issues.

From June-October 2005 Okoth attended the Biotechnology Media Training Tour of the United States organized by the US-Grains Council to train journalists in reporting on biotechnology issues. He was short-listed in 2007 as finalist to the prestigious CNN African Journalist Awards.

From June-July 2007 he attended a course on reporting on HIV/Aids in Cape Town S.A organised by Kaiser Family Foundation. He has also attended numerous scientific conferences both locally and abroad.

Okoth began his journalism career in 1997 as a Features and Sports Correspondent at The Standard’s Kisumu Bureau. In 2001 he moved to the group’s headquarters in Nairobi and was attached to the investigative desk as a correspondent.

He left the group briefly in 2003 to work as an Assistant Editor with the Working Woman Magazine in Nairobi. He rejoined Standard in 2005 as a full reporter attached to the investigative desk where he was also the lead investigative writer for the then respected investigative pullout The Big Issue—where he also ran a weekly column.

Currently, Okoth is writing a book on the ‘Changing Socio-Economic Strata’ of his native Luo Nyanza and ‘Politics of Marginalisation.’

Wahinya Henry is a father of four children born in Kenya in 1954. He plunged into the world of journalism after his formal high school education when he joined the Kenya Institute of Mass Communications, Nairobi, Kenya, in 1976.

He served the government in the ministry of Information and Broadcasting in various capacities, both in the field and at the ministry's headquarters from 1978 to 1986.

Thereafter Kenya Red Cross Society hired him as its national Information and Dissemination Officer until 1996.

He traveled widely after undergoing a three months internship course at the Red Cross headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

As a member of the Public Support Group (PSG) of the international Red Cross representing black Africa, he took part in formulating a common communications policy for the entire Red Cross movement.

He left to work for several print media publications in Kenya, the latest being The People Daily Newspaper and a correspondent of several others locally and internationally, with deep interest in science feature writing.

Locally, he’s a member of several professional bodies and has attended many seminars, courses and workshops as a long serving career journalist. He is one of the founders of KENSJA

Wanjohi Kabukuru is the Eastern African correspondent of “New African” the oldest English language, pan-African monthly magazine published in London and distributed in over 100 countries.

He also writes for “Diplomat East Africa”, the leading East African regional diplomatic affairs magazine. Prior to becoming an international journalist he was formerly an investigative reporter specializing on human rights and environmental justice with “The People Daily” in Kenya.

Wanjohi is a multiple award winning journalist and is a former editor of “Zwazo” magazine, in Seychelles. He is a member of several international professional media bodies and a media researcher.