A group of local sports journalists have set up an independent body aimed at promoting sports in the country. Rwanda Independent Sport Journalists Association (RISJA) was set up on Monday at Chez Venat, Kigali. The independent sports association will be launched before the end of this month. The founding members of the Association include David Baingana, Gerald Manzi, Romario Gakuba, (Voice of Africa), Théo Barasa and Henry Muhire (Flash FM), Clever Kazungu and Christian Uwigenga(Contact Radio), Régis Muramira(City radio) and Bonnie Mugabe (NewTimes). RISJA is also aimed at improving working relations between journalists and their news sources, protection of news sources and the impact of technology on journalism ethics, fairness, privacy concerns and accuracy to mention among others. The new sport body is the second sports association to be set up in Rwanda after the Rwanda Sports Journalists Association (RSJP) formed in early 2000 but is now inactive. Christian Uwigenga a.k.a Patos of Contact radio was elected as the spokesman of the association which will officially elect their executive committee before the end of this month. The idea of forming the independent association was initiated by eight sports journalists from a handful of media houses in the country. Meanwhile, other journalists from Salus radio, Radio Izuba, Radio 10 and Izuba vernacular newspaper to mention but a few who were invited failed to attend the meeting without giving reasons. RISJA will be open to sports reporters, sub-editors, editors, producers, photo-journalists, columnists, presenters and a few others who are no longer in active journalism but maintain interest in the association’s activities. Ends
