By Raylenne Kambua The Internet Society Kenya Chapter (ISOC Kenya) hosted the Third National Community Networks Summit from May 13–15, 2026, at the 777 Recreational Centre in Machakos Town. Building on the community-driven spirit of the 2024 Akala and 2025 Mathare editions, the summit convened under the theme: “Innovating for Grassroots Digital Access and Community Connectivity.” With an estimated 2.6 billion people still offline globally, and Africa accounting for a disproportionate share and with only 35% of Kenya’s entire population online, the summit was a timely reminder that connectivity is not just a technical problem, it is a social, economic and political one. This year’s gathering pushed the conversation further, asking not just how to connect communities, but why and for whom. Pre-Summit Workshop: From Innovation Ecosystems to Digital Safety Delegates kicked off the summit with a guided tour of the Konza Technopolis development corridor, offering a vivid look at Kenya’s ambitions for a nationally integrated digital economy. The tour underscored the gap between large-scale digital infrastructure and the grassroots connectivity needs of underserved communities. Speakers from the Open University of Kenya, the Communications Authority of Kenya and ISOC Kenya framed community networks as a critical bridge for populations that commercial providers and ISPs routinely overlook. Roadmap for Community Networks The main summit day opened with a vision of where community networks stand and where they need to go. Representatives from ACNke, Communications Authority (CA), APC, ICAAN,AFRALTI,  UKAID’s Digital Access Programme and ISOC Global outlined the landscape, stressing that the ecosystem requires not just technical solutions but coherent policy, funding clarity and cross-sector collaboration. A notable highlight raised by Barrack Otieno of ACNke: a 4G pilot project is currently underway in Kajiado, exploring whether community networks could extend beyond wireless hotspots and fibre into full mobile infrastructure, a potential game-changer for rural coverage. Additionally, the President of ISOC Kenya emphasized that connecting the unconnected is not just about access, but about nation-building. He noted that community networks (CNs) are critical to bridging connectivity gaps, especially in underserved areas, and reaffirmed that the internet has become an essential need across the country. He urged stakeholders to strengthen and expand the community network ecosystem to ensure inclusive and affordable internet access for all. Community Networks in Kenya — Challenges, Solutions & Stories from the Communities The most resonant session of the summit gave the floor to community network operators rarely heard in formal policy spaces. Operators from Tanda, Global Innovation Valley, Gonline Africa, Kijiji Yeetu, ALINET and Tech Village shared their journeys. The excitement of connecting a community for the first time, the fatigue of keeping equipment running on shoestring budgets, and the pride of watching a local entrepreneur thrive because of affordable internet access. Common challenges ran through every testimony: costly and complex spectrum licensing, equipment financing that is nearly inaccessible through conventional channels, persistent vandalism, and a scarcity of locally relevant content in the languages and formats communities actually use. Yet the operators embodied resilience.  “We connected our community not because someone gave us permission. We did it because our people needed it.” Success, as the panel defined it, looked like a rural school accessing digital learning, a women’s savings group managing finances online, and a farmer checking commodity prices before heading to market. Women were strongly encouraged to enter the space, with speakers pointing to how connectivity has transformed livelihoods, particularly for fishing communities in Kwale County, where it has improved both income and access to information. Each network measured impact on its own terms. Ateker ties success to sustainability and food security. Global Innovation Valley is anchored by its mission to connect refugees in Turkana. Gonline Africa advances community impact through digital upskilling that extends beyond its immediate location. Kijiji Yeetu envisions a future where students access education and community information without limits. Tanda, rooted in Kibera’s 13 villages, holds that real connectivity means power and internet together because neither works without the other. Compliance, Licensing, Spectrum & Funding Regulatory officers from the Communications Authority of Kenya presented the current licensing framework for community networks, including a USF overview and findings from the Broadband Access Gap Study. The CA signalled that regulatory changes in the next financial year could ease barriers, with simplified licensing pathways and potential 4G spectrum access for community deployments on the horizon. The CA issued a challenge: Reach 100 licensed and operational community networks in Kenya by end of 2026. Regulatory support, technical guidance and USF-backed funding are available for networks that formalise their operations, a signal that the government is ready to treat community networks as serious infrastructure partners, not informal experiments. Community Network Practices Across Africa Voices from ISOC chapters in Ghana, Zambia and Tanzania offered a continental perspective on how their ecosystems are evolving, sharing policy wins, funding models that work, and cautionary lessons. Despite differing contexts, the barriers are strikingly similar: licensing complexity, equipment costs, skills gaps and the need for locally relevant content. Dr. Nazar Nicholus, President of ISOC Tanzania, was emphatic on the question of ownership  insisting that sustainable models must be rooted in communities that take pride in building and maintaining their own infrastructure. Kenya’s role as a potential model for the continent, and the responsibility that comes with it, was a thread that ran through the entire session. Academia & Digital Education for Community Networks Scholars and educators from the Open University of Kenya and Daystar University examined how universities and vocational institutions can serve as genuine anchors for community networks through curriculum development, practical attachment programmes and embedded innovation labs, not just research outputs. Critically, experts argued that community networks must be part of Kenya’s AI readiness agenda: not as passive recipients of technology, but as active participants shaping how AI reaches the grassroots. “We need to be bold enough to imagine a Kenya where connectivity is not a privilege but a shared public good that reaches every community.” Professor Carolyne Omulando, Recognizing the Champions of Community Connectivity The closing ceremony honoured all community

By Raylenne Kambua World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) 2026, held in Lusaka, unfolded as both a celebration and a moment of reckoning for journalism across Africa. Against a backdrop of shifting political, technological, and economic pressures, this year’s commemoration brought together journalists, policymakers, civil society actors, and media development partners to reflect on the state of press freedom and to chart a path forward. Running in parallel was the Africa Media Congress, which attracted a wide cross-section of media stakeholders from across the continent. These convenings created a critical space for dialogue, convergence, and renewed commitment to the principles of independent and pluralistic media systems first articulated in the Windhoek Declaration. A Continent in Conversation As echoed in the keynote reflections, the day is rooted in Africa’s own struggle for truth, dignity, and democratic accountability. The return of global commemorations to the continent underscored this legacy, even as recent developments cast a shadow over the proceedings as Churchill Otieno, the immediate former Chairman of the AMC Steering Committee highlighted. Concerns emerged following the reported cancellation of RightsCon in Lusaka, raising broader questions about freedom of expression, assembly, and civic space. These tensions were not treated as isolated incidents, but as part of a wider pattern across the continent where journalists increasingly face detention, intimidation, surveillance, and legal harassment. From the detention of journalists in Tunisia, to reported arrests and intimidation in Mozambique, to the devastating toll of conflict on media practitioners in Sudan. The recognition of the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate with the 2026 UNESCO World Press Freedom Prize served as both a tribute to resilience and a sobering reminder of the risks journalists continue to face. Gender, Safety, and Structural Inequality A key highlight of the week was a session led in collaboration with WAN-IFRA, which placed gender equality at the centre of the discussions. The panel brought together perspectives from research, policy and funding to interrogate how gender-based harassment and systemic inequalities shape newsroom environments and journalistic output. The session aligned with ongoing global research initiatives under WAN-IFRA’s Women in News programme, in partnership with BBC Media Action and City St George’s, University of London. It also complemented insights from UNESCO’s World Trends Report, particularly its focus on online harassment. Gender-based violence both offline and online limits participation, shapes editorial decisions, and ultimately weakens press freedom and public trust. Addressing these challenges demands sustained political will, targeted funding, and structural reforms within media institutions. Regional Monitoring and Response The International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT Kenya) was actively represented in these conversations, with its chair Josephine Karani contributing to discussions on regional monitoring and response mechanisms for attacks against women journalists. Drawing from an initiative supported by UNESCO’s International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC), IAWRT highlighted ongoing efforts to document violations, including the development of a digital observatory that tracks threats. The tool, which has so far recorded over 200 violation cases against female journalists in Africa, is vital in providing evidence-based advocacy and informing policy interventions. To strengthen accountability and response, IAWRT is also working with Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU) to advance the legal dimension of these cases. “Each case will be handled by the designated PALU member in the respective country, who will serve as the focal point for legal assistance, coordination with the affected journalist, and reporting to PALU on case progress.”  Affirmed, Josephine  Karani. As part of the implementation framework, each country or region will have a designated lawyer confirmed at the outset to ensure coordinated, context-specific legal response and sustained follow-through on cases. A Sector Under Pressure Beyond safety and rights, the Africa Media Congress highlighted deep structural shifts in journalism. Newsrooms face economic strain while audiences fragment across digital platforms that often favor engagement over accuracy. At the same time, AI, disinformation, and the growing power of global tech platforms are reshaping how information is produced and consumed, placing greater democratic responsibility on already stretched public interest media. Yet, opportunity remains. Africa’s youthful population and vibrant digital cultures offer a chance to reimagine storytelling, reclaim narratives, and build media systems that are more inclusive, resilient, and grounded in local realities. “We have the chance to tell the African story that is not decorative, not extractive and not apologetic. A story in which Africans are not merely victims of global systems but makers of meaning, builders of institutions and authors of democratic futures.”-  Churchill Otieno From Dialogue to Action As the week drew to a close the need to move from conversation to institutional action stood out. The Africa Media Congress, in particular, was positioned as a platform that must evolve beyond periodic convenings into a sustained, accountable, and representative continental body. This includes strengthening collaboration with regional institutions such as the African Union, while maintaining independence and credibility. It also means bringing together diverse actors from editors and publishers to researchers, women’s networks, and youth leaders into a shared vision for the future of African media. At its core, the discussions in Lusaka reaffirmed a fundamental principle: journalism is not a private inconvenience to power. It is a public good essential to democracy, development, and the protection of human rights. A Defining Moment Press freedom in Africa stands at a crossroads. The challenges are undeniable, but so is the resolve of those working to defend it. From calls for accountability in cases of violence against journalists, to renewed focus on gender equality, to the push for stronger continental collaboration, the week’s discussions reflected both urgency and determination. In the end, the significance of WPFD lies not only in what is said, but in what follows. The real test will be whether the commitments made in Lusaka translate into tangible protections, stronger institutions, and a media ecosystem that truly serves the public interest.

By  Mercy Achieng As a young female journalist today, the digital world isn’t just a tool for me, it’s where much of my work happens. I rely on online platforms to uncover stories, amplify voices that often go unheard, and connect with people across the globe. But during a recent digital safety training organized by the International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT) in Kenya, I realized that this openness comes with risks. The training, led by Cecilia Maundu, a digital security expert, was a real eye-opener. It made me stop thinking about digital safety as just a technical option and start seeing it as something vital for my survival as a journalist today. We often browse the internet thinking we’re anonymous, but in reality, our online footprints are huge and hard to erase. One thing that stuck with me was how one hacked account can seriously disrupt a career. We looked at the methods hackers use and saw how easily they can get access to private information, sometimes with surprisingly simple tricks. Every time I click “accept” on a cookie pop-up or ignore app permissions, I’m basically handing over pieces of my life to unknown parties. It’s not just a technical issue; these gaps leave us exposed. For women in media, who face a lot of online harassment and doxing, keeping an eye on our digital footprint isn’t just about privacy, it can be about staying safe. The training  focused on practical steps we could take: – Checking what personal info is out there and cleaning it up deliberately. – Realizing that a simple flashlight app shouldn’t need access to your contacts or location. – Always using a VPN when working in public places like cafes, since open networks make it easier for others to intercept data One thing that really stuck with me is that my digital safety isn’t just about me. As journalists, we’re responsible for other people’s stories. If my device gets hacked, my sources are at risk too. If someone breaks into my email, all the hours I’ve spent investigating those stories could be lost or leaked. Taking steps to protect myself online is part of what it means to be ethical in this work. It’s how I safeguard both my voice and those who trust me to share their experiences. I’m grateful to IAWRT-Kenya for recognizing that safety for women in media has to include the digital world. To my fellow journalists: your safety matters. Today, writing and reporting happen mostly online, and the risks are real. Digital security isn’t just a task to check off, it’s something you have to keep up with every day. Learn what you need to protect yourself. Make it a priority. Practice it regularly. When we stay safe, our stories don’t get silenced.

By  Reitz In the last 7 months, 40 female journalists across the country have undergone a rigorous fellowship focussed on understanding Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other digital tools. At the centre of the training sessions was the rise of Technology Facilitated Gender Based Violence (TFGBV), painting a sad picture of how women remain the key target and largest victims. “Although women journalists in Kenya are increasingly embracing digital tools, they still experience cyber bullying, harassment, suffer burnout from the demands of long hours of digital journalism… and are under-represented in decision making and digital transformation initiatives,” the report dubbed Women journalists and Tech reads in part. Speaking at the launch on March 7 2025, IAWRT Kenya Chairperson Josephine Karani highlighted the organisation’s broader work on mentorship and skills development, saying IAWRT has pioneered mentorship programmes and works with institutions training journalists, a foundation on which expanded training (including on AI and digital tools) is built. Drawing on findings and case documentation compiled by IAWRT Kenya in this and previous TFGBV reporting initiatives, trainers walked participants through real scenarios involving online impersonation, non-consensual image manipulation, and digital smear campaigns targeting women in media. Among examples given include the viral use of Grok on X where users undressed women and posted these photos online. Another example was how online users shared contacts of female journalist Yvonne Owkwara during the Gen Z protest frenzy, infringing her privacy while violating data law. The chapter has previously highlighted patterns of online abuse against female journalists in Kenya, noting how political reporting and gender rights coverage often trigger coordinated harassment, doxxing and reputational attacks. The trainers stretching from Google, KictaNet zeroed in on how innocently sharing personal information like where one lives, their phone number, child’s school or even story one is covering can make one a target. In one such spirited session however, the  trainers revealed how journalists can protect themselves online by limiting the amount of personal information shared. To curb this, the journalists were taught on how to recognise deepfakes, fake profiles and how to safely store abusive messages that can be used as evidence in a court of law. By centering AI literacy as a safety tool, the training reframed technology from a source of vulnerability to a line of defence. Participants learned how to verify synthetic content, preserve digital evidence, monitor bot activity and reduce their digital footprint. These practical skills lower risk while strengthening investigative capacity.

By  Lucy Kilalo The media landscape has continued to evolve with the digital shift and the emergence of Artificial Intelligence, calling for new creative ways to captivate and retain consumers. The industry is experiencing major shifts, with thousands being laid off due to the dwindling profits, with companies unable to retain their workers. While this shift is taking place, a lot of questions continue to be asked, by those in the industry, those pursuing journalism courses, and others looking out for those in the industry. The reality is staring at us that things have changed. It’s no longer business as usual, and the sooner people accept, then moving on and looking at the future with hope will help journalism sail through the tough times. In the last seven months, female journalists have benefitted from a training on AI and journalism conducted by the International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT-Kenya) with other partners. As I sat through the sessions, one thing was clear that we must embrace AI even as media companies grapple with the extent to which they can use AI. The most important thing is for journalists to purposely learn, unlearn and relearn, to navigate through the industry. Many media houses globally are now re-looking at how they can tell their stories, how they can reach various audiences, and AI is helping them define the direction they need to take. Media houses are now leveraging AI for audience engagement and analytics. This helps them to understand, where the consumers of their content are, what time they engage with the content, how long they engage with that content among other analytics. However, media houses cannot throw caution to the wind. They need to put safeguards that will protect their credibility and trust. As much as the how of telling that story has changed, trust will help sell content and therefore the need to have the safeguards in place, especially at a time when AI is being used to propagate misinformation and disinformation. A session on AI Ethics, policy, and responsible use in Journalism in Kenya emphasized why the media must remain alert following the emerging risks such as deep fakes, algorithmic bias, and disrupted information ecosystems caused by instances of AI hallucinations and so much more. Facilitating the session, Dr.Grace GIthaiga underscored the need for media houses to remain accountable for what they put out to the public, even with AI-powered tools in place to verify information and that ethical standards must be adhered to while producing content.

By  Faith Oyoo Seven months at IAWRT Kenya taught us how AI is reshaping journalism today. AI is no longer a distant concept for journalists, it’s a present reality transforming how we work. From automated transcription and data analysis to interactive storytelling, AI tools can speed up research, detect misinformation, and reveal insights hidden in complex datasets. They promise efficiency, but their use requires careful judgment and ethical consideration. One of the most important lessons we’ve learned is ethical responsibility. Algorithms can carry biases, and AI generated content can mislead if left unchecked. “A journalist’s responsibility is to establish what the content truly shows by asking who created it , when, where and why,” digital trainer Nelly Moraa cautioned trainees. She added that verification in today’s age is a combination of digital tools, strong editorial judgement and multiple credible sources. Every AI output must be treated like a source verified, contextualized, and balanced with human oversight. Speed without ethics is not progress. Beyond tools and ethics, the program encouraged creative storytelling. AI can help journalists visualize data, explore immersive formats, and engage audiences in new ways. But creativity remains inherently human, emotion, nuance, and cultural context cannot be fully automated. AI is a collaborator, not a replacement. Seven months of training have also reshaped our mindset. The conversation has shifted from “if AI will impact journalism” to “how we can guide AI to serve truth and public interest.” AI is powerful, but the human touch, integrity, judgment, and curiosity remains indispensable. In the end, this journey with IAWRT Kenya highlighted that AI is about people, values, and decisions. It’s not just about adopting new tools, it’s about shaping a responsible, ethical, and innovative media landscape.