The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) is set to offer psychosocial support to journalists covering the Shakahola massacre in Malindi, Kilifi County.

The move according to MCK is aimed at helping journalists who have been covering the story since the discovery of mass graves and the exhuming of bodies by the police last week to help them deal with trauma.

Speaking to this blog , MCK Mombasa Regional Coordinator Maureen Mudi emphasised on the need for  the journalists to undergo counseled  which she said will help them unwind and deal with their fears.

“As MCK we are aware that the journalists covering the story are going through a difficult time because this is not something they were prepared for.  We are currently in the process of organizing psychosocial support for them because this will help them do their work better,” said Mudi.

Mudi alluded to the fact that some of the journalists were traumatized with the scenes at the vast 800 acres Shakahola forest in Malindi 

The area has since been cordoned off and declared a disturbed area by the government after the discovery of more than 100 bodies in shallow graves.

Mudi added that some journalists covering the story might not be willing to share what they saw in the forest thus the need for professional counseling .

“Seeing bodies all over especially of children is not something easy and is not something they were prepared for. But we will ensure that they get the support they need to ensure that they are in a better place to handle their stories and understand and go through what they need to go through in a safe space,” Mudi said.

She further added that some veteran journalists who covered the Mtongwe ferry tragedy of 1997 are yet to recover from the trauma they experienced due to lack of counseling and debriefing, something they (MCK) are not willing to see it repeating itself.

“We don’t want journalists to go through that, that’s why we are holding their hands to ensure they are assisted,” she said.