By KPC Reporter
The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has urged journalists to embrace a saving culture and take deliberate steps to secure their financial future.
The Council said that the unpredictable nature of media careers makes early retirement planning essential.
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Speaking during a media sensitisation training on retirement planning and pension reporting at The Vic Hotel in Kisumu, MCK Director for Media Training and Development Victor Bwire said journalists must prepare for life after active service.
“Journalism is inherently unpredictable, and one cannot always anticipate when a career may come to an end. Plan for it. No one knows what tomorrow holds. Start saving for your retirement today,” said Bwire.
He noted that many media practitioners delay retirement planning due to the demands of the profession, leaving them exposed to financial strain later in life.
Retirement Benefits Authority (RBA) Assistant Director for Research, Strategy and Planning Ben Kipanga encouraged journalists to take greater control of their financial future through informed investment decisions, cautioning against over-reliance on family support.
“Any assistance from your children is given out of goodwill. Avoid depending on them too much. Invest wisely and secure your own future while you can still earn,” he said, revealing that pension schemes in Kenya currently hold assets worth Sh2.81 trillion—about 16 per cent of the country’s GDP—with 4.1 million members enrolled.
MCK Manager for Board Services and Partnership Relations Stella Kaaria urged participants to cascade the knowledge gained to colleagues and improve reporting on retirement and pension issues.
“The insights gained from this training should not end here. Journalists have a responsibility to cascade this knowledge to their colleagues and enhance the quality of reporting on retirement and pension issues,” she said.
The training, organised by the RBA in collaboration with MCK, brought together journalists from the region and focused on retirement planning, financial discipline, pension reporting, ethics, risk-based supervision, and handling of complaints.
