Her colleague, BBC World Service Africa Regional Editor Richard Kagoe, announced Juma’s departure. He confirmed that Tuesday marked the esteemed reporter’s final day of work.
“On Tuesday, we bid farewell to an outstanding colleague and exceptional journalist, Mercy Juma Okande. ” Over the years, she has received numerous awards for her compelling storytelling,” he stated.
“We refer to her as ‘the humanitarian’ because of her exceptional ability. She uncovers and highlights the struggles of those affected by natural disasters, health crises, and conflict.
Kagoe did not specify Mercy’s next destination in his statement. However, he confirmed that the journalist will ’embark on a new journey.
A number of Juma’s industry colleagues have since taken to social media to wish her well. They wish her the best in her future endeavors. This includes Citizen TV’s Waihiga Mwaura, who posted, “All the best in your new season.”
In one of her most significant assignments in 2024, she reported on the situation in Sudan. The conflict resulted in more than 15,000 fatalities. Millions were displaced from their homes. Juma faced potential dangers. Nonetheless, she traveled to the heart of Sudan. She aimed to provide the world with an insightful perspective on the devastating effects of the conflict.
Months later, in June, the former NTV journalist thoroughly covered the notable Gen-Z protests. These protests arose from Kenyans’ strong opposition to the finance bill.
Wamuzinews. co. ke has also previously reported on some of the awards received by the journalist in her career. In 2016, she received the TV Reporter of the Year award. This was in the gender reporting category. The award was given at the annual Journalism Excellence Awards presented by the Media Council of Kenya.
Two years before, she received the Consumer Media Award. It was for Best Health, Food, and Drugs Category (Broadcast) in 2014 (UNFPA/Kemep).
Mercy Juma has spent six successful years at BBC News Africa, primarily serving as a correspondent since 2018. Her stories primarily focused on the human aspect. She covered a variety of human-interest topics. These include women’s rights, climate change, and reproductive health, among others.
She also served as a broadcast journalist, with key responsibilities in digital video storytelling, news reporting, and feature production.
From April 2012 to March 2017, Mercy Juma worked at NTV. She was a senior health and science reporter for Nation Media Group. This was her first significant role after her time at Moi University, Eldoret. There, she briefly served as a reporter and editor for Info Magazine.
