Dennis Musau, Citizen Digital
This week we interview Dennis Musau, Reporter, Citizen Digital. He discusses how he got drawn to the profession and his focus on topics that impact everyday people, making complex subjects, like AI, relatable. He goes on to discuss what makes African business so unique and why the world needs to take notice. Lastly he offers his thoughts on how to encourage more people to write about African tech and business.
What led you into journalism, and what would you be doing if you weren’t a journalist?
I grew up reading newspapers a lot because my father religiously bought them. TV watching was limited, so it was just the news and maybe one program a day. But I liked that these were my window to the world and increasingly, I gathered a lot of information about – and was interested in – the goings-on in Kenya and beyond.
At the same time, I was discovering my interest in writing, the media and anything that involved telling stories.
I admired how one could go to all these different places, speak to people from varied walks of life, and put the material together, as a profession.
If I weren’t a journalist, I would probably be working in tourism; I like nature and exploring the outdoors. Or in academia, teaching language or any of the creative arts.
When you are researching stories, what compels you to work on sharing a particular story with your audience? Any hot trends we should look out for in the coming months?
I like to consider how something affects the so-called ordinary person and try to bring it closer home. Technology, for instance, is easy to view as far-flung and just for the geeky superfans, but it is in everyone’s daily life.
Developments in the fintech sector affect how my greengrocer works. Innovation in large-language AI models gives us AI-generated products, which hawkers in Nairobi are making money off of.
It is also a plus if someone learns something new from my work. As for trends, I am interested in how digital culture is evolving not just in Kenya but across the continent. I think people should watch how the internet and social media are influencing policy.
Why is African business so unique and what makes it so exciting to report on?
The passion and hard work behind it are inspiring.
Which sectors or industries do you like to cover most and why?
I often cover the start-up ecosystem and venture capital scene; policy; telecoms; and innovations across other areas I am interested in such as arts, health and automobiles. Reporting on them therefore becomes a fascinating learning experience.
Why is it important that people around the world get to hear about young, growing companies on the continent?
Because they are building the future; they are building some of the world’s most innovative solutions from this continent with so much potential that everyone needs to notice.
How can we encourage more people to join the writing community and dedicate their energy to telling stories about African tech and business?
Producing and exposing people to more stories. I believe reading and consuming stories from across the continent gives people the power to tell stories about the world around them through journalism, literary work and film – be it about business, technology, history or politics. Only we can best tell our stories.
