Dar es Salaam. If you count four years as a human age, then he is a child who can walk, run and now pronounces almost every word.
That is the period that Bakari Machumu has served as executive director in his 20 years of working at Mwananchi Communications Limited (MCL).
Machumu has been in that high position since April 29, 2021 when he was announced by the Chief Executive Officer of Nation Media Group (NMG), Stephen Gitagama until now August 31, 2024 when he retires.
Although he has fallen early in that high position, Machumu is proud of the success that makes the company look at the society with an eye of hope, reflecting his slogan 'We empower the nation'.
In a special interview he did with this newspaper, Machumu says when he leaves, it should be understood that MCL's growth in the coming years will depend on the development of its foundations which are creativity and focus on improvements.
“So I'm leaving MCL looking at it with that magnitude and proud to be part of that journey. I see it continuing to do so if it remains on the same foundations and has the opportunity to grow,” he explains.
He says he is leaving MCL, which is one of the largest, most powerful companies and is followed by various groups due to its ability to make an impact on society.
To the extent that the community follows the MCL, he says that its executives should be responsible to ensure that they do not fail those who follow it.
“We have to respect that people look at MCL in a different way. When I say people, I'm talking about all communities, that is, the Government, the private sector and all citizens look at the Citizen with an eye of hope, let's not let them down.” “The power that MCL has should not go to our heads and we misuse it. It is a power that should be used well to stimulate the development of this country and one by one,” he explains.
According to Machumu, the basis of anything that is done in the company is to empower the Nation, either by highlighting weaknesses so that they can be corrected and save people's lives or by showing opportunities for the community to be excited.
“That is the strength we have and it is not the strength to go forward. You say I am MCL and I will take care of you, no. That will be handled by you,” he explains.
Although exams are a part of life in leadership, Machumu says the decision involving the suspension of four editors in the newsroom, was the most difficult test for him.
The test, he says, was difficult because he had to make that decision, when he did not have enough evidence to accuse the editors.
“When I looked for myself, I said that these are the people who report to me, they have been accused as they were accused, I have not been given enough evidence, but I have to implement, if I implement what it means.”
“Am I standing with the people I lead or have I dared those I lead, will I fall asleep in that style? My heart refused,” he explains.
However, he explains the competence of NMG's leadership, which provides opportunities for leaders to discuss issues that protect the lives of the company and its employees, which enabled him to pass the test.
He explains that the discussion took place and they agreed to suspend them and not fire them, then satisfied themselves by conducting a detailed investigation and later found out that the editors were not guilty.
“We brought them back at a higher cost because their positions were given to other people, the board had to create four other positions in its budget to give them a chance to continue to exist. Because there was that shield, that's why I postponed my resignation, but if it hadn't been there, that would have been a period of time when I was struggling and I said wait until I plow,” he says.
His position as director of MCL, he says several times has made him different from various leaders in the Government, especially due to some of the content published by Mwananchi company's newspapers.
“That is inevitable, but how did we get out of there? I have been using it a lot to explain that there is nothing we will benefit from by accusing the Government or any leader.
“Even the Aga Khan once said that he did not start the media, be it the voice of the opposition, the party in power or anyone who does not go along with the society, but he started it to help bring positive results to the society we live in,” he explains.
If there is a difference of opinion, Machumu says he usually concentrates on explaining what is the responsibility of MCL, the policy of the newsroom and if there are mistakes it is human.
“But it has never been MCL's policy to stop to deal with someone. The board doesn't allow it, our policies don't allow it and that's why the same board that protects you to do journalism freely, is the same one that deals with you if you violate its policy,” he explains.
Interviews with heads of state
Machumu, who has conducted several interviews with heads of state, says that until the head of the state agrees to do an interview with the writer, it is due to being convinced by something, including the good intentions of the writer.
“Therefore, he sees you as not a threat to him or you do not aim to embarrass him when you interview him. I think the problem we are creating is that you come to want information from me, then you pollute me or disturb me expecting that I will give you information, I will not,” he explains.
The only secret to successfully getting an interview with people of that status, he says, is to make them believe you need information from them, to be humble, fair and respectful.
“If you develop a habit that you are what you are and if you succeed in interviewing one, if the other sees it, it will be okay to interview you,” he explains.
However, he says he has often done it himself, showing that, despite his directorship, he is still a journalist.
“We conducted an interview with the President of Zanzibar, Dr. Hussein Mwinyi when he was a presidential candidate, former leader of the ACT-Wazalendo party, late Special Seif Sharif Hamad, Speaker of Parliament, Dr. Tulia Ackson, Job Ndugai as Speaker of Parliament and President Samia Solution Hassan twice,” he explains.
When asked about the basis for the establishment of the Rising Woman Forum, Machumu says it was based on part of MCL's goals to find methods of production in times when newspapers are not as big a business as they used to be.
“Social media destroyed the market, so there was turmoil. In that turmoil, we were looking for ourselves, what are we doing to cross. The advent of Rising Woman was aimed at making event journalism an area that was not being viewed more,” he says.
In the midst of that environment, he explains that his fellow leaders advised him on the establishment of the platform, while they were worried about being opposed, since MCL itself has not reached a 50 percent equality in leadership.
He explains that the platform attracted many to the point of obtaining the participation of President Samia.
Machumu says this year MCL reached a ratio of 40 to 60 in the leadership, although currently some of them have found opportunities in other areas and have gone there, so to some extent that ratio has gone back. Going back there, he says, is due to the lack of women with the necessary qualifications, so many companies are competing for them.
According to Machumu, his journey to enter MCL began by being persuaded to ask for a position by his colleagues he was working with before.
However, he says that when he followed up on the application, he found that time had passed, but later it was announced again and he tried to apply.
“When I got the opportunity, my mother asked me Bakari, where are you leaving when you are a news editor, where are you going to become a business editor, why are you going back? I told my mother that it is an international company, I will learn more and I will get more experience and a good salary,” he says.
He explains that he entered MCL with a view of its size due to the history of the size of NMG.
Newspapers during elections
Machumu says the General Election of 2010 saw him as the Executive Editor of The Citizen and that was when he realized the difficulty of managing a newspaper at that time.
“People are looking to win, so what is important is how you stand in the middle, how you manage the election guidelines, so what you plan to do, do it with certainty,” he says.
Even with the exams, he says things went well and even when they were blamed it was probably because the truth was written and not to blame someone.
“I remember there was one news during the election, we said that everyone who will hold a meeting should be given a picture of the front page. There is a candidate who held a meeting in Buguruni, he was alone with children there, and a picture was taken and placed in front.
“People took it as a joke, but the discussion here was, is this person campaigning or what, but we explained to them that we promised to give everyone a chance,” he says.
In the 2015 General Election, he says he had the position of Executive Editor in charge of all MCL newspapers.
This is Bakari Machumu
Machumu joined MCL in 2004 as the Business Editor of The Citizen, later he was appointed as the Executive Editor of the newspaper and served for seven years.
He was later appointed the Chief Executive Editor of MCL with the authority to manage all newspapers, Mwananchi, The Citizen and Mwanaspoti.
Before joining MCL, Machumu worked at Business Times Litd which published Majira, Business Times, Daily Times and Dar Leo newspapers as a writer and later editor.
What will surprise you, Machumu did not enter the media profession as a professional, he has a degree in Agriculture from the Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) where he graduated in 1998.
20 years later he obtained a master's degree in business administration (MBA) from the East and Southern Africa Institute of Management (ESAMI).
He also holds a master's degree in media management from the Aga Khan University in Kenya.
Machumu joined MCL in 2004 as the Business Editor of The Citizen newspaper, later he was appointed as the Executive Editor of the newspaper and served for seven years. He was later appointed the Chief Executive Editor of MCL with the authority to manage all newspapers, Mwananchi, The Citizen and Mwanaspoti.
Before joining MCL, Machumu worked at Business Times Ltd. which published Majira, Business Times, Daily Times and Dar Leo newspapers as a writer and later as an editor.
What will surprise you, Machumu did not enter the media profession as a professional, he has a degree in Agriculture from the Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) where he graduated in 1998.
20 years later he obtained a master's degree in business administration (MBA) from the East and Southern Africa Institute of Management (ESAMI).
He also holds a master's degree in media management from the Aga Khan University in Kenya.
