Rebecca Nduku: The Resolute Photographer

Published by Paukwa on March 15, 2021

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Walking into the Nation Media newsroom for the first time in 1994, Rebecca Nduku felt like a fish out of water. She was one of the youngest budding journalists present, having landed the internship while still taking her certificate course in photography at Kenya Polytechnic. But the age factor was less surprising than the visible fact that she was one of few female journalists, and the only female photojournalist.

Her first month at this new job had its revelations and it dawned on her that most of her male colleagues expected her to crash and burn. Rebecca had no desire to prove them right. Rather than seep in this negative energy, she threw herself into her work, determined to prove that she deserved to be there as much as everyone else.

Proving herself as an equal was harder than is seemed. Her struggle in this male-dominated field only worsened with the constant harassment she faced while out in the field. Not too long after becoming a photojournalist, Rebecca was assigned with documenting a local football match at Kasarani Stadium. When fans of the losing team spotted her by the pitch side, Rebecca was forcibly removed from the arena. Reason? The fans believed that her presence was an ill omen that had resulted in their team’s loss.

The unfair and unjust conditions she sometimes had to work in did not stop her from keeping at her craft. On the contrary, she became decisive and challenged herself to document stories that most people shied away from. Her pictures made it to the front-page of national and international newspapers multiple times in the 90s. From the breakdown of Moi’s presidential state car along Thika Road, to demonstrations against the destruction of Karura Forest led by Wangari Maathai, to the infamous Standard Chartered bank heist, and the human rights abuses suffered by prisoners receiving treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital. Whatever the story was, Rebecca knew how to capture the message behind it.

The ripples she was causing in her profession did not go unnoticed. In 1998, Rebecca was one of the female journalists sponsored by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency for an undergraduate degree. Her time at the Fojo Media Institute gave her a chance to interact with other women and share her experience with people who went through similar ordeals.

Upon her return to Kenya, Rebecca continued in her journey, working at the Standard Newspaper for four years from 2003 before closing the chapter of her life involving the newsroom. In 2009, she joined the government and is currently assigned to the Deputy President’s Press Service.

Hers is a story of resilience, one that reminds us not to bend to the wills of others and instead to choose our own paths.

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