By Nathan Eyagu 

Soroti City — Members of the Teso Journalists for Community Empowerment (TEJFOCE) have reaffirmed their commitment to unity, professional growth, and personal safety as Uganda prepares for the forthcoming political season.

The association, which brings together media practitioners from across the Teso sub-region, convened a strategic meeting at Hyde Park in Soroti City to discuss key issues affecting journalists and the association’s future development.

Addressing members, Mr. Opio Emmanuel, the Chairperson of TEJFOCE, urged journalists to exercise caution as they cover politically charged events in the coming months.

“As we head into the political period where most of us will be covering elections, we must prioritize our safety. Some areas might experience violence, so I urge everyone to remain vigilant,” he said.

He further called on members to embrace a saving culture to strengthen the association’s financial stability and sustainability.

“Let’s develop a spirit of saving so that we can grow together and build TEJFOCE into a stronger association,” Opio emphasized, also commending members for maintaining unity since the association’s formation.

Mr. Ken Odele from the Nation Media Group encouraged members to uphold teamwork and avoid internal divisions, especially between TEJFOCE and other media groups operating in the region.

“As an established association, TEJFOCE should focus on streamlining its activities instead of blame games. Let’s pay our monthly subscriptions, save regularly, and continue working together,” he noted.

Mr. Nathan Eyagu, a journalist with Teso Vibez Online, lauded the leadership for steering the association toward progress. He urged members to focus on development-oriented initiatives that benefit both journalists and their communities.

Over the years, TEJFOCE has been involved in several impactful activities, including tree planting for climate change mitigation, corporate games, and member welfare support.

During the meeting, Mr. Steven Ojacor proposed that the leadership hold regular meetings and explore new community engagement activities such as blood donation drives and health centre clean-ups to strengthen the association’s visibility and social impact.

Mr. Peterson Kirya highlighted the need for TEJFOCE to establish a permanent office and appoint a dedicated coordinator to handle daily administrative tasks.

“Having an office will enhance our coordination and give us a professional identity,” he remarked.

In his closing remarks, Mr. Robert Edwomu, the Vice President of TEJFOCE, appreciated the diversity of members — ranging from reporters and bloggers to editors — while acknowledging financial limitations as one of the key challenges facing the group.

To promote financial independence, members agreed to introduce a monthly savings scheme, where each will contribute UGX 50,000 monthly, half of which will be distributed annually to members while the rest will support association development projects. Additionally, a one-time membership fee of UGX 10,000 and an annual subscription of UGX 10,000 were approved.

The initiative marks a new milestone in TEJFOCE’s efforts to strengthen professional collaboration, promote journalist welfare, and ensure member safety as the political season approaches.