“Chenye mwanzo kina mwisho” — that which has a beginning has an end.
With these words, Maurice Otieno announced his departure as Executive Director of Baraza Media Lab, closing a remarkable six-year chapter at an institution that has become one of Kenya’s most important platforms for independent media, storytelling, and creative innovation.
When Maurice joined Baraza Media Lab in 2019, he was part of a founding team with a bold ambition: to build a home for independent media in Kenya. Six years later, he hands over an institution that has grown into a leading platform serving journalists, storytellers, creators, and media innovators across Kenya and Africa.
Under his leadership, Baraza Media Lab expanded its footprint, creating spaces and programmes that supported media practitioners beyond traditional newsrooms and empowered a new generation of storytellers, digital creators, and innovators. Through county partnerships and programmes designed to strengthen media capacity, Baraza helped extend opportunities beyond Nairobi and contributed to building a more inclusive media ecosystem.
Maurice’s leadership came during a period of significant disruption and transformation in the media sector. The COVID-19 pandemic arrived shortly after Baraza opened its doors, followed by global funding challenges that affected many organisations working in media and civic spaces. However, under his leadership, Baraza responded by diversifying partnerships, investing in collaboration, and continuing to grow its programmes and community.
During his tenure, Baraza Media Lab became home to impactful initiatives that shaped Kenya’s and Africa’s media landscape. These included the Data Storytelling Fellowship, She Leads Media, FumbuaKE, the Media Innovation Incubator, the Africa Media Festival, and the Africa Media Awards. These platforms created opportunities for journalists, researchers, creators, and media entrepreneurs to develop skills, build networks, experiment with new ideas, and explore sustainable approaches to media innovation.
One of Maurice’s greatest contributions was his ability to build partnerships and create an environment where different actors within the media ecosystem could collaborate. He understood that the future of African media would be strengthened through collective action, bringing together creators, journalists, civil society organisations, technology actors, and innovators.
Through this approach, Baraza Media Lab became more than a physical space. It became a community, a meeting point, and a catalyst for conversations around journalism, digital rights, storytelling, innovation, and the creative economy.
Maurice leaves behind a strong institutional foundation built through the dedication of the Baraza team, the support of partners and funders, and the trust of the wider media community. His reflection that this is “stepping aside, not leaving” reflects the confidence that the institution he helped build will continue to grow and serve the media ecosystem.
Maurice Otieno and the BAKE–Baraza Media Lab Partnership
For the Bloggers Association of Kenya (BAKE), Maurice’s leadership played a significant role in strengthening collaboration between the two organisations. The partnership between BAKE and Baraza Media Lab was founded on shared values: supporting digital creators, promoting responsible online content creation, strengthening independent media, and advancing freedom of expression and digital rights.
A key demonstration of this partnership was the hosting of the BAKE Awards 2025 and BAKE Awards 2026 at Baraza Media Lab spaces. The BAKE Awards 2025 were hosted at the Baraza Media Lab Industrial Area space, while the BAKE Awards 2026 were hosted at the Baraza Media Lab Riverside Drive space.
These two major events highlighted Baraza’s role as an important home for Kenya’s digital creator community. The BAKE Awards brought together bloggers, journalists, influencers, technology stakeholders, policymakers, and creative entrepreneurs to celebrate excellence in online content creation and recognise the contribution of digital creators to Kenya’s information ecosystem.
Maurice’s support also enabled BAKE to implement important capacity-building programmes. Through the BAKE–UNESCO partnership, the Baraza Media Lab Industrial Area space hosted training sessions aimed at strengthening digital storytelling, content creation skills, digital literacy, and responsible online engagement among creators.
The partnership also played a role in advancing the objectives of the KENSAFE project, a BAKE initiative focused on misinformation, disinformation, hate speech, digital safety, online harms, and digital rights. Through collaboration with Baraza Media Lab, joint training activities were conducted, including the KENSAFE training in Nakuru, which equipped creators and journalists with knowledge and tools to navigate emerging digital challenges.
The partnership extended further through training activities in Kisumu, supporting BAKE’s commitment to decentralising digital skills development and ensuring that creators from different parts of Kenya could access opportunities, networks, and knowledge.
Beyond specific programmes, the Baraza Media Lab Riverside Drive space became a key venue for numerous BAKE events, stakeholder engagements, community meetings, and conversations around technology, media, digital rights, and the creator economy. The availability of a professional and collaborative environment strengthened BAKE’s ability to convene communities, engage partners, and deliver impactful programmes.
Maurice’s contribution to the BAKE partnership demonstrates the importance of leadership that creates opportunities for others to succeed. By building an open and collaborative platform, he enabled organisations like BAKE to expand their reach, strengthen communities, and support more digital creators.
As Maurice begins his next chapter, BAKE appreciates his contribution to building Baraza Media Lab into a leading institution within Kenya’s media ecosystem. His legacy will continue through the partnerships strengthened, the communities empowered, and the opportunities created for the next generation of African storytellers, journalists, and digital creators.
Chenye mwanzo kina mwisho ….. but the impact of meaningful partnerships and institution building continues.