By Josiah Kariuki
A government can build roads, lay fibre-optic cables, establish digital hubs and put services online, but those investments can fall short of their intended impact if citizens do not know about them or understand how to benefit.
This was well articulated by Principal Secretary for Broadcasting and Telecommunications Stephen Motari Isaboke on Tuesday, where he noted that effective communication must be treated as an integral part of government service delivery.
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Speaking on NTV’s Fixing the Nation, Isaboke said the recently unveiled National Government Communication Policy seeks to improve how government communicates with citizens by making the system more coordinated, consistent, responsive and citizen-centred.
He said the policy recognises that government communication is not simply about disseminating information but ensuring citizens understand policies, programmes, services and opportunities that affect their lives.
A key change under the policy is the requirement for major government projects to incorporate communication funding from the planning stage.
Isaboke said communication had traditionally been treated as an afterthought, with government budgets focusing on construction, equipment and operations while giving limited attention to informing intended beneficiaries.
This approach, he said, could leave citizens unaware of completed projects, available services or opportunities created through public investment.
The new approach seeks to make communication part of project planning and implementation, ensuring information reaches beneficiaries alongside the delivery of services.
The policy also seeks to address fragmentation in government communication, where different institutions have sometimes issued information independently, resulting in delays, inconsistent messages or confusion among citizens.
Isaboke said a coordinated communication system would help government institutions provide timely and reliable information while improving public understanding of government programmes.
The issue is particularly significant as Kenya expands its digital transformation agenda.
Through the Digital Superhighway initiative, the government is investing in fibre-optic connectivity, digital hubs, public Wi-Fi hotspots, digital literacy programmes and online government services.
But the PS said technology alone could not guarantee that citizens would take advantage of these investments.
Fibre-optic infrastructure can improve connectivity, while digital hubs and government portals can create access to services and opportunities. However, citizens still need to know where such facilities are located, what services they provide and how to use them.
“Communication is an important link between public investment and its eventual impact on citizens,” the PS said.
The discussion also focused on misinformation and disinformation, which have become major challenges in an increasingly digital information environment.
With millions of Kenyans receiving information through social media and other digital platforms, inaccurate information can spread rapidly, particularly when official information is delayed or difficult to access.
Isaboke stressed the importance of proactive communication, with government institutions expected to provide accurate information early rather than waiting for misinformation to spread before responding.
Information gaps can create room for speculation and rumours, while conflicting messages from public institutions can further complicate the situation.
The communication policy is consequently intended to strengthen the flow of official information and improve public access to reliable government communication.
Citizens are more likely to understand and engage with government programmes when information is provided transparently, consistently and in a form they can access and understand.
The policy places communication within the wider framework of citizen engagement, recognising that Kenyans are not merely recipients of government services but participants in national development.
The challenge, however, is ensuring that government communication reaches all sections of the population.
While smartphones, social media and online platforms have become important sources of information, many Kenyans continue to depend on radio, television, vernacular stations, community forums, religious institutions and local leadership structures.
The policy requires government communication to use both traditional and digital platforms to reach different audiences.
This is particularly important for citizens in rural and underserved areas who may have limited or inconsistent access to digital services, according to the PS.
For example, information about a new government service or digital facility may reach an urban audience quickly through social media but require radio or community-based communication to reach people in remote areas.
The approach seeks to ensure that access to government information does not become another form of inequality.
The discussion also underscored the changing role of communication within government.
Rather than operating mainly as a publicity function, communication is increasingly being viewed as a strategic component of governance, alongside policy formulation, implementation and service delivery.
Apart from implementing programmes, government institutions are expected not to explain what they are doing, why they are doing it, how public resources are being used and how citizens can participate or benefit.
For Isaboke, this requires a shift from communication that simply announces government achievements to communication that informs and engages citizens.
The National Government Communication Policy is expected to provide a framework for achieving that shift by improving coordination across government institutions and strengthening communication with the public.
As Kenya continues investing in digital infrastructure and expanding online government services, the effectiveness of those investments will depend partly on whether citizens are aware of them and can access them.
The policy consequently places communication closer to the centre of public service delivery, linking government decisions and investments with the people they are intended to serve.
Isaboke’s appearance on Fixing the Nation highlighted the growing importance of that connection as Kenya moves towards a more digitally connected society, where access to accurate and timely information is increasingly central to participation in national development.
