DNK International *By Our Reporter,Nairobi.
Eric Oduor,who was on recently reelected as the Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ),Secretary General is one of the youngest and most recognisable labour voices in Kenya at the moment.
Oduor is a seasoned journalist turned unionist whose career has been defined by newsroom practice,organised advocacy and an unrelenting push for press freedom.
The trade unionist is married and holds a Master’s degree from the University of Nairobi.
Oduor has built his public life at the intersection of journalism, labour rights and national politics,an arena he has openly disclosed to Daily News Kenya-International that he intends to formally enter through the ballot next year.
Oduor’s professional journey began in mainstream journalism, with stints across major media houses, most notably Mediamax (People Daily newspaper),where his immersion in newsroom realities sharpened his understanding of job insecurity, editorial independence and the everyday risks journalists face.
He has also worked with and closely engaged journalists from Nation Media Group, The Standard Group, KBC, the BBC and Radio France Internationale—institutions that today form the backbone of the Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) membership.
His union journey started in 2011 when, while still at Mediamax, he joined KUJ and was elected Assistant Treasurer the same year.
It was a rapid rise built on visibility and trust.
He later became Deputy Secretary General before eventually ascending to the position of Secretary General, a role he has used to reposition KUJ as both a defender of journalists’ labour rights and a national voice on press freedom.
Today, KUJ draws a membership of about 2,000 journalists countrywide.
Under Oduor’s leadership, the union has represented journalists in high profile labour disputes involving unlawful dismissals, delayed salaries, newsroom restructuring and hostile working conditions.
KUJ has recorded notable wins, including court backed reinstatements, negotiated compensation packages and consent agreements that compelled media houses to regularise contracts.
There have also been losses,particularly in cases where media organisations cited financial distress but even in defeat, Oduor has insisted the cases set precedents that strengthened collective bargaining and exposed systemic weaknesses in the industry.
Beyond courtrooms, Oduor has been a constant presence in moments of crisis, from condemning attacks and arrests of journalists to mobilising solidarity during election periods and public unrest.
His closeness to lomg serving COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli has amplified KUJ’s influence within the broader labour movement, giving journalists a seat at the table in national wage debates and labour policy discussions.
The relationship has often been described by insiders as strategic rather than symbolic, anchoring media workers firmly within Kenya’s organised labour architecture.
Regionally and internationally, Oduor is regarded as a seasoned unionist voice, engaging counterparts across East Africa and participating in global conversations on media freedom, safety of journalists and the future of work in newsrooms disrupted by digital change.
His influence lies less in flamboyance and more in consistency,showing up, speaking plainly and framing journalism as both a public good and a profession deserving dignity.
Known for blunt but measured rhetoric, Oduor has repeatedly argued in public forums that press freedom cannot exist without job security, and that a fearful journalist is a compromised journalist.
He has warned against the casualisation of newsrooms, the politicisation of editorial decisions and the creeping normalisation of threats against reporters.
When he was re-elected as KUJ Secretary General, his acceptance speech struck a defiant but unifying tone.
He thanked journalists for renewing his mandate, described the vote as a collective stand for dignity in the newsroom, and pledged to keep KUJ independent of corporate and political capture.
He spoke of unity across rival media houses, promised to defend every journalist regardless of employer or platform, and challenged young reporters to see the union not as an institution of last resort, but as a daily shield.
Away from union corridors, Oduor is deeply interested in national politics, often analysing power, governance and accountability through a media and labour lens.
Colleagues describe him as disciplined, accessible and unafraid of confrontation when principles are at stake,traits that have defined his rise from reporter to one of the most influential media union leaders of his generation.
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🗓️ [DNK-International@February,2026]
