Khusoko Journalistic Standards Guide

 

Revised draft — September 2026

Khusoko journalists uphold the highest standards of ethical and professional journalism.

This guide sets out the principles and practices that govern our reporting, editing and publishing across all platforms. It exists so that readers, sources and our own staff and contributors know exactly what to expect from us and how to hold us accountable when we fall short.

Version: 3.0 (September 2026) — supersedes the 2022 edition· Owner: Head of Editorial, Indeje David

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Contents

1. Who these policies apply to
2. Our editorial leadership
3. Statement of principles
4. Our journalism standards
5. Corrections policy
6. Right of reply
7. Conflicts of interest, gifts and independence
8. Plagiarism and attribution
9. Verifying images, video and user-generated content
10. Use of artificial intelligence
11. Diversity commitments
12. Paid and sponsored content
13. Column and contributed article submissions
14. Social media
15. Complaints, corrections requests and appeals
16. Governance and review

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Who these policies apply to

These policies apply to all Khusoko editorial staff in creating and publishing editorial content on any platform, and to all freelancers, columnists and contributors when creating content for Khusoko.

Any breach of policy can lead to disciplinary action, within applicable law, up to and including dismissal or termination of a contributor relationship.

Khusoko journalists and contributors must also follow the Code of Conduct for the Practice of Journalism under the Media Council Act, 2013, and the Code of Conduct for Digital Media Practitioners.

Our editorial leadership

Statement of Principles

Responsibility

Khusoko has responsibilities to its readers, its clients, and its employees. The overriding responsibility of our journalism is to the public we serve. Freedom of expression and of the press must be defended against encroachment from any quarter, public or private.

Accuracy and truth

Good faith with the reader is the foundation of ethical journalism. Every effort must be made to ensure that everything we publish is accurate, presented in context, and that all sides are presented fairly. Significant errors of fact and errors of omission are corrected promptly, prominently and transparently.

Fairness

Khusoko respects the rights of people in the news, is transparent, and stands accountable for the fairness and reliability of everything it publishes. Any subject of potentially harmful allegations must be given a genuine opportunity to respond before publication (see Right of Reply).

Independence

Independence from those we cover is a key principle of journalistic integrity. We avoid conflicts of interest and the appearance of conflicts. Where we cannot bear the costs of gathering and publishing news ourselves, we disclose anything that could create a perceived conflict of interest (see Conflicts of Interest).

Impartiality

Impartiality does not require us to be unquestioning or to avoid editorial expression. It does require a clear, consistent distinction between news and opinion. All content containing explicit opinion or personal interpretation is labelled as opinion or analysis.

Privacy

Every person has a right to privacy. There are inevitable conflicts between privacy, the public good, and the public’s right to know about public affairs. Each case is judged with common sense and humanity, weighing genuine public interest against intrusion.

Our Journalism Standards

Accuracy and sourcing

Accuracy is grounded in verification. We are accountable to our readers for the accuracy of everything we publish — stories, headlines, photos, captions, social posts, graphics, data, video and audio, on every platform. Financial and market data (prices, filings, statements, statistics) must be traced to a named, checkable source or clearly marked as an estimate.

Anonymity and confidential sources

The public interest is best served when sources are identified by name. We press sources to go on the record and independently corroborate off-the-record information wherever possible.

There are times when confidential sources are essential to reporting in the public interest — including sources who are underage or otherwise vulnerable. Published articles must explain, in the story itself, why a source was granted anonymity and why we consider them credible. Confidential sources should have first-hand knowledge of the information they provide. We publish as much detail as we safely can about a source — including their motive for confidentiality — without revealing their identity.

Corrections Policy

Revised for clarity and to remove ambiguity in the previous draft.

We do not hesitate to acknowledge and correct mistakes.

• Minor errors (typos, misspellings, small factual slips that don’t change the substance of a story) are fixed as soon as they’re spotted, without a formal correction note, though a silent-edit log is kept internally.
• Significant errors (a wrong fact, figure, quote, name, date or an error of omission that changes the reader’s understanding of the story) are corrected within 24 hours of being confirmed, with a clearly labelled “Correction”note appended to the article stating what was wrong and what has been fixed.
• Where a correction requires further investigation or a response from the people involved, we aim to resolve it within 72 hours, and we tell the person who flagged it what to expect and when.
• Corrections are never buried: they run at the top or bottom of the corrected article, in plain language, and are never simply deleted or silently altered.
• If a new development significantly adds to a story after publication — without invalidating what was originally reported — we append an “Update” note rather than a correction.
• We maintain a public, dated record of significant corrections. (Khusoko: consider publishing a running Corrections Log page, linked from this guide, the way most Trust Project members do — this is one of the most credibility-building, low-cost additions a newsroom can make.)

To request a correction or flag an error: info@khusoko.com, or use the comment section under any story, video or post. Include a link to the piece and a description of the error.

Right of Reply

Anyone who is the subject of a potentially damaging factual allegation is contacted for comment before publication, given a reasonable and clearly stated deadline to respond, and — if they decline or don’t respond in time — that fact is stated in the story. If a response arrives after publication, we add it promptly as an update or correction where it materially changes the story.

Conflicts of Interest, Gifts and Independence

Journalists and contributors must disclose to an editor, before assignment or publication, any financial holding, business relationship, family connection or other personal interest that could reasonably be seen to compromise their objectivity on a story — this is especially important given Khusoko’s markets and company coverage, where staff or contributors may hold shares, consult, or have family in covered firms.

• Journalists do not accept gifts, free travel, hospitality or payment from companies, PR firms or individuals they cover, beyond routine, modest hospitality (e.g., a working meal) that would not reasonably be seen to influence coverage.
• Staff must not trade in the shares of companies they are actively covering.
• Where full independence isn’t possible — for instance, a reporting trip funded by a third party — this is disclosed to readers in the story itself.

Plagiarism and Attribution

Presenting another person’s or outlet’s words, data, images or original reporting as our own is a serious breach of these standards and can lead to dismissal. When we build on the work of other outlets, we say so clearly and link to the original source. Quoted material is properly attributed and kept brief; analysis and data drawn from third parties (research houses, government agencies, company filings) is sourced by name.

Verifying Images, Video and User-Generated Content

Before publishing a photo, video or social media post we did not produce ourselves, we verify its origin, date, location and authenticity as far as reasonably possible, and credit the original source. Manipulated, staged or out-of-context images are not published as if genuine. Any image or video that has been digitally altered for illustrative purposes (including AI-generated or AI-edited visuals) is clearly labelled as such.

Use of Artificial Intelligence

Khusoko journalists may use AI tools to assist with research, transcription or drafting, but AI-generated text is not published as finished journalism without human verification, editing and sign-off. Read our full AI Policy for detailed rules on disclosure, fact-checking AI output, and prohibited uses.

Diversity Commitments

Inclusiveness is at the heart of how we think and act as journalists. Khusoko aims to reflect the diversity of the communities we cover — across gender, geography, age, sector and background — and to respect the human rights and equal dignity of all. We aim for a genuine variety of voices among our sources, story subjects, contributors and commentators, and editors are expected to actively check source diversity on stories, not just default to the most readily available voices.

Paid and Sponsored Content

Khusoko is committed to making sure our audience is never confused about the line between our journalism — governed by the standards in this guide — and content driven by commercial interests. Commercial content is always visually distinct from editorial content (different design treatment, not just a small text label) and clearly marked, at the top of the piece, with one of the following:

• Supported: Produced with financial backing from an organisation or individual, but not approved by the funder before publication. Held to the same journalistic standards as our other reporting.
• Sponsored: Produced on behalf of a paying organisation or individual, who has been involved in production and/or pre-publication approval. Does not meet our standards for independent journalism.
• Advertisement: Supplied by a paying organisation or individual purely for placement. May be styled like our content but is not journalism.
• Partner Content: Produced in partnership with an organisation or individual involved in production or review before publication. May not meet the standards of independent journalism.

Editorial staff do not write, edit or approve commercial content on behalf of advertisers, and sales staff have no input into editorial coverage decisions.

Column and Contributed Article Submissions

Khusoko welcomes well-written, insightful analysis from writers, marketers and industry experts, on a free and paid basis.

• Pitching: Email info@khusoko.com with a brief description of your idea.
• Length and style: 600–800 words, a genuine deep dive into an African-markets topic. Short sentences, short paragraphs, minimal jargon.
• Rate: Standard paid-placement rate is USD 100 per post or sponsored link. Any paid contribution is labelled per the Paid and Sponsored Content rules above — a paid guest column is not presented as independent editorial commentary.
• Disclosure: Contributors must disclose, at pitch stage, any financial or personal interest in the subject of their piece (e.g., they work for, invest in, or consult for a company mentioned). Undisclosed conflicts are grounds for rejection or removal.
• Fact-checking: Contributors are responsible for the factual accuracy of their claims; Khusoko editors check contributions against the same accuracy standards applied to staff-written stories before publication and reserve the right to request sourcing.
• Editing: We reserve the right to edit submissions for length, style and clarity.
• Opinions: Views in a contributed article are the author’s own and don’t represent Khusoko’s position. We have no agenda beyond presenting both sides of a story fairly in our own reporting and commissioned analysis.
• Format: Submit as a Microsoft Word document, with the author’s name, title, company and email listed at the bottom.

Social Media

Khusoko journalists are encouraged to be themselves and find their voice on social media — but what they post, and how they conduct themselves, affects reader trust and Khusoko’s public standing, regardless of an account’s privacy settings or whether staff consider it “personal.”

Read our full Social Media Policy.

Complaints, Corrections Requests and Appeals

To raise a concern about our coverage:

1. First step: Contact our Head of Editorial, Indeje David, at indeje@khusoko.com, or use info@khusoko.com for a specific factual error.
2. What to expect: An acknowledgement within [1 business days], and a resolution or a substantive response within the timelines set out in our Corrections Policy.
3. If unresolved: Complainants who remain unsatisfied may escalate to the Media Council of Kenya Complaints Commission  which handles complaints against outlets bound by the Code of Conduct for the Practice of Journalism.

Governance and Review

This guide is reviewed at least annually by the Head of Editorial and updated as our practices, platforms and risks evolve. Material changes are dated and logged below so readers can see how our standards have developed over time.

Revision history

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Questions about these standards? Contact indeje@khusoko.com.