MY EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH BENON OLUKA

By Margaret Muthee

While many were celebrating the month of love, I was more than honoured to be working with one time CNN journalist award winner, Benon Oluka, a guy from the neighboring Uganda, also currently a student at Witwatersrand University.


Ever thought of Chinese being introduced in high schools and other lower learning institutions in Kenya, and the implications this would have on the country and the continent as a whole? Yes! This is what we had to un mask.



Being a journalist is like tasting honey and ginger/lemon at the same time. At times you get to experience that bitter-sweet taste, and especially when things do not work out exactly as you’d planned them. On one hand, it opens up your world giving you a chance to go to places and meet people that you’d never imagined. On the other hand, it can be tough. Having to interview different people in different places and within a short time frame can be crazy! This is more so especially when you have to work under pressure and across countries.
A day doesen’t always turns out the way you expect it. This is a lesson I learnt during this research. For one, the people you meet are different. While some are willing to give you their time opening up on different issues, some may let you down big time!
However, a valuable lesson I learnt under the mentorship of Benon. Never turn down even a five minute interview! When someone tells you that they can only spare you ten minutes of their busy schedule, gladly accept it. You may be surprised when the ten or five minute interview turns into an hour. This especially happens because most of the questions you ask are about something that they are passionate about. I did confirm this when we interviewed the Director of the Confucius institutes at Kenyatta and Nairobi University. They are really passionate about their work:)


Different organizations also have their different criteria on how to go about things and you can never by pass that. I remember a time when we needed to interview someone in the Kenya Institute of Education and we had to write an official request which had to be approved by the director before we could even interview someone. Unfortunately, time was not on our side and we had to skip that interview. Luckily, we had already gotten the view from the Ministry of Education; who were supposed to approve our interview for K.I.E before we would actually interview someone if we had waited.
As a journalist, it is always good to have an alternative plan, and to be ready for anything. Skipping a meal or eating on the move are some of the things that you should be ready for in case a situation calls for it. However, no challenge should deter you from achieving your goal- that story that you so much want. Keeping your mind focused on the ultimate goal really helps.
All in all, journalism is fun. You meet different people, and besides getting your story done, you may end up creating friendships that last:-) I had a fabulous time working with one of the best journalists in the continent:-) the people I met also inspired me to learn a language I never ever dreamt about:-)Chinese!