From a reporter to CEO: A media executive opens up on his journey

You have 27 years in the media industry. What inspired you to become a journalist, even though you studied agriculture?

It was more of an accident than inspiration from anywhere. After graduating from Sokoine University of Agriculture, the previous practice was that graduates would get employed immediately after leaving the university. However, we stayed in the streets for around six months, and then I was approached by an acquaintance to try journalism. At that time, there was an opening at Business Times, which was the talk of town regarding economics and business reporting. I got into their in-house graduate training program.

You have risen through the ranks, from business reporter to managing director. What gave you the motivation to keep striving for more? Was leading a company part of your plan? Not at all. I have always taken a step at a time and tried to do my best in whichever position I’m in. When I started as a business writer, I always competed with my colleagues. If one didn’t get the lead story of the day, they would feel bad. Such a competitive environment pushes you to always be the best and give it your all.

You were appointed managing director at a time when you were having thoughts of exiting the company (MCL). What was going through your mind at that particular moment when you got the offer?

A bit of mixed feelings. It was scary and confusing at that particular moment because we were in the period of Covid-19, this was around June 2020, and in July of that same year, my predecessor, Francis Nanai, announced that he was leaving the company. It was very abrupt; there was no hint or preparation. I had plans to exit the company towards the end of 2020 because I felt like I had played my part, and now my role was becoming routine.

I had to consult my mentors. I talked to Ambassadors Juma Mwapachu and Ami Mpungwe. They told me the company and the media in general are going through a difficult moment. The CEO is leaving, and I have been working hand-in-hand with him and am next in the succession line. So they asked me what would happen when Francis left, and I also decided to exit the company. What legacy would I be leaving behind? They said that whatever I was going to do elsewhere, leaving MCL at that moment would continue to haunt me. I took their advice and looked at it as an opportunity.

Read: Machumu to leave MCL after two decades at the company

You were among a generation of business editors who are considered some of the very best in the industry in terms of depth and analytical thinking. What is your opinion about the state and level of business journalism in Tanzania today?

I think we have lost ground to some extent. During our time, we had many business newspapers in circulation. We had The Citizen, Business Times, Financial Times, The East African, and The African. Other newspapers, such as Daily News and Guardian, also had sections for business. If you look at where we are today, that space has shrunk, and so has the number of business journalists. So there has been a bleeding of talent, and unfortunately, the replacement hasn’t been robust.

Tell us how you managed to navigate the media industry under former President John Magufuli, who took a hardline approach to freedom of speech and media operations.

When things get tough, you tend to go back to the basics. I took some time to understand the source of concerns from government and private stakeholders. I came to realize that there will always be loopholes in whatever we do that can be exploited and used against us.

So it was important to understand laws, regulations, and policies. This enables you to understand your boundaries and how far you can push them. We were perceived as a threat to the government, so we wanted to change that perception so that they would see that the media is a partner for development.

Those in power were given the mandate on behalf of the people, so they have the responsibility of making the right decisions. When they fail, we have the right to hold them accountable. Our aim is not to threaten the government but to do our job based on professionalism.

Do you feel like you handled the newsroom in the best interest of journalism as a profession, or did you at some point dance to the tunes of the government?

Not that I recall. We encourage dialogue and consultation in our operations. If we challenge a reporter to demonstrate the veracity of their story, we do so to ensure that there are no loopholes. However, at times they might think that we have simply put a stop to the story from running. We push our reporters to have well-rounded stories because if they leave loopholes, they expose the entire business, which has over 300 staff.

The weight I carry as a leader is to balance the interests of the shareholders, board, staff, and government.

What is your view of the thin line between media as a business and media as a service?

You can’t completely separate the two. There is a push-and-pull effect. What media offers is a service; however, media is a business first and a service second.

We must appreciate and understand the business of media and media as a business. The business of media is service. However, media needs to be run like any other business. If we say that media is just a service, we will disregard the principles of business, and the company will die. So, we must remain efficient and profitable as a business to continue providing media services.

Journalists’ safety remains a concern. What is the status of Azory Gwanda? Have we stopped asking questions to the government about his whereabouts?

The disappearance of a journalist, or anyone, for that matter, is not something to be taken lightly. As a company, we do not know what exactly happened to Azory Gwanda. We did what we had to do. We started by supporting the family, called on friends of the media to support, and then we called on the government because the government must protect its citizens. We have repeatedly demanded a thorough investigation into what happened to Azory so that we have closure.

Did you get enough support from other media institutions when you were seeking answers after Azory’s disappearance?

If you ask me, as Bakari and probably as Mwananchi, whether I was satisfied with the support we received, I think it could have been better. At some stage, we felt like it was an issue left to Mwananchi and a few organizations. This showed us that, as media, we need to pull together.

What is your view on how the government addresses media concerns?

At times, we might be too hard on ourselves, and we don’t see the progress we are making. I have been in media for 27 years, and I have seen different patterns. What we are witnessing at the moment is progress. A lot has been done in a very short period.

The challenge we are seeing right now is that we are taking the improved media environment for granted and are being reckless with our reporting.

What is your level of optimism about the survival of media in Tanzania in the coming years?

It scares me. I’m the vice chairman of the Tanzania Editors Forum, and I have the privilege of being in the Nation Media Group. Being at the leadership level, I get to know what is happening in the East African market. Kenya and Uganda are way ahead in trying to find solutions to what is hitting the media today. Tanzania is approaching reality in silos without a common purpose. We don’t have a collective goal or approach as an industry.

You are retiring from MCL after 20 years. What prompted you to make that decision?

This is my third attempt. I first tried to resign when I was Managing Editor of The Citizen, then later when I was Executive Editor, and now as CEO. I had set a target that I should not be in the newsroom at a certain age.

I was appointed acting CEO in July 2020. When I was confirmed for the role in 2021, I gave myself three years to help move the company from where we were to a more promising position.

What is your next destination?

I will remain within the media and communication space, but focus more on nurturing more leaders.