LEADERS, MEDIA FRATERNITY MOURN VETERAN JOURNALIST MOSES RADOLI

By Godfrey Wamalwa 

 Leaders and the media fraternity have mourned veteran journalist Moses Radoli, who died in a road accident along the Nambale-Mumias road in Busia County.

Radoli, fondly known as Musa, served as the first Daily Nation correspondent in Busia during the 1980s and 1990s before a brief stint with the Standard Group.

He is being remembered as a pioneering journalist who gave Busia a national voice through his reporting while mentoring a generation of journalists.

The Kenya Correspondents Association (KCA) described Radoli as a valiant media veteran whose contribution to the association and the wider media sector spanned several critical moments in the fight for press freedom.

Radoli served as KCA’s second Secretary General from 2008 to 2014, a period the association described as a defining phase in its growth and recognition within the media industry.

According to KCA, Radoli played a key role in the association’s opposition to provisions of the Media Bill 2013 and KICA Amendment Bill 2013, which the media fraternity considered restrictive to press freedom.

The association recalled that he was part of the team that led journalists in demonstrations in Nairobi in December 2013, delivering petitions to Parliament and the Office of the President.

KCA further said Radoli, together with the association’s board and the Kenya Editors Guild, played a role in challenging the legality of the two media laws in court after they were enacted.

The case, which ran from January 2014 to May 2016, was aimed at strengthening the legal framework for press freedom and protecting the independence of media institutions.

KCA described Radoli as a resilient and principled leader who worked behind the scenes to keep the association united as it pursued the matter through the courts despite pressure and threats.

The association said the eventual High Court decision provided relief to the media sector and reinforced the independence of the Media Council of Kenya and the role of stakeholder organisations in the selection of its board.

“Radoli was a great journalist, with a sharp pen, nose for news and a capacity for pricking analysis of events,” KCA said, describing him as an accomplished feature writer who remained committed to journalism despite the challenges associated with the profession.

Principal Secretary for MSMEs Susan Mang’eni mourned Radoli as a fearless pioneer and professional who gave Busia a voice in the national media space.

Arthur Osiya, Presidential Advisor in the Executive Office of the President, described him as a sharp and credible storyteller whose deep understanding of border and community issues helped shape public discourse.

Former Attorney General Amos Wako mourned Radoli as a long-time friend and principled journalist who served Busia and the country with integrity and courage.

Former Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong described him as a steadfast chronicler of Busia’s history whose reporting kept residents informed on key developments for decades.

KCA conveyed its condolences to Radoli’s family, colleagues and friends, saying his contribution to journalism and the fight for a vibrant media sector would be remembered.

Funeral arrangements will be announced by the family in due course.