diff --git a/swh/journal/cli.py b/swh/journal/cli.py
--- a/swh/journal/cli.py
+++ b/swh/journal/cli.py
@@ -48,8 +48,7 @@
         format='%(asctime)s %(levelname)s %(name)s %(message)s',
     )
 
-    _log = logging.getLogger('kafka')
-    _log.setLevel(logging.INFO)
+    logging.getLogger('kafka').setLevel(logging.INFO)
 
     ctx.obj['config'] = conf
     ctx.obj['loglevel'] = log_level
diff --git a/swh/journal/client.py b/swh/journal/client.py
--- a/swh/journal/client.py
+++ b/swh/journal/client.py
@@ -3,8 +3,6 @@
 # License: GNU General Public License version 3, or any later version
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
 
-import logging
-
 from abc import ABCMeta, abstractmethod
 from collections import defaultdict
 from kafka import KafkaConsumer
@@ -12,7 +10,6 @@
 from swh.core.config import SWHConfig
 from .serializers import kafka_to_key, kafka_to_value
 
-
 # Only accepted offset reset policy accepted
 ACCEPTED_OFFSET_RESET = ['earliest', 'latest']
 
@@ -73,8 +70,6 @@
         if extra_configuration:
             self.config.update(extra_configuration)
 
-        self.log = logging.getLogger('swh.journal.client.JournalClient')
-
         auto_offset_reset = self.config['auto_offset_reset']
         if auto_offset_reset not in ACCEPTED_OFFSET_RESET:
             raise ValueError(
diff --git a/swh/journal/direct_writer.py b/swh/journal/direct_writer.py
--- a/swh/journal/direct_writer.py
+++ b/swh/journal/direct_writer.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@
         topic = '%s.%s' % (self._prefix, object_type)
         key = self._get_key(object_type, object_)
         object_ = self._sanitize_object(object_type, object_)
-        logger.debug('topic: %s, key: %s, value: %s' % (topic, key, object_))
+        logger.debug('topic: %s, key: %s, value: %s', topic, key, object_)
         self.send(topic, key=key, value=object_)
 
     write_update = write_addition