Maurice Otieno is stepping down as Executive Director of Baraza Media Lab after overseeing the Kenyan media innovation organization’s expansion from a startup into one of Africa’s largest philanthropy-backed journalism support platforms.
Otieno, who joined Baraza’s founding team in 2019 and became Executive Director in April 2020, announced his departure on LinkedIn this week, saying he was “stepping aside” rather than leaving the sector. Governance and public finance specialist Eric Kinaga will succeed him.
The leadership transition comes after six years during which Baraza significantly expanded its funding, staffing and continental footprint despite launching shortly before the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted media organizations worldwide.
Otieno said Baraza secured about $20 million in philanthropic funding during his tenure and increased its reach from roughly 1,500 people to 12,000. His LinkedIn profile, however, cites more than $15 million raised over five years from over 300 donors. While the funding totals differ, both accounts point to the organization’s rapid growth from three employees to about 40 staff.
Baraza now operates on an annual budget of approximately $4 million and engages around 7,000 people every month through its journalism, innovation and civic engagement programmes, according to Otieno.
Under his leadership, the organization launched initiatives including the Data Storytelling Fellowship, She Leads Media, the FumbuaKE collective and a Media Innovation Incubator aimed at strengthening independent journalism and digital media innovation across Africa.
Otieno also founded the Africa Media Festival, which this year attracted more than 200 organizations from 31 countries, underscoring Baraza’s growing role as a continental convener for media leaders, startups and development partners.
Institutionally, he said Baraza established its first fiduciary board, implemented more than 40 organizational policies and introduced monitoring and evaluation systems to guide programme decisions while reducing staff turnover by 20%.
The organization faced its first major test within months of its launch as Kenya confirmed its first Covid-19 cases. Otieno said Baraza responded by diversifying its funding sources and expanding strategic partnerships, helping sustain growth during a period when many media organizations were cutting operations.
Kinaga inherits an organization that has become a prominent intermediary between philanthropic funders, newsrooms and media entrepreneurs across Africa.
Before joining Baraza, Kinaga spent nearly a decade working on public finance, governance and accountability, including roles at USAID Kenya and East Africa, the Institute for Social Accountability and Transparency International Kenya. He previously coordinated the Shule Yangu Alliance, an advocacy campaign focused on securing land rights for more than 30,000 public schools, before moving into budget governance and fiscal accountability.
He also publishes Letters to a Kinder Nation, a newsletter examining governance and public institutions.
“I’m interested in building public systems that are not only effective and accountable, but also worth believing in,” Kinaga said.
Neither Baraza nor Kinaga has announced changes to the organization’s funding priorities or programme strategy following the leadership transition.
Otieno said he plans to spend time with his family before taking on his next role, adding that he will continue supporting the media innovation ecosystem from outside the organization.