By Josiah Kariuki
Principal Secretary for Broadcasting and Telecommunications Stephen Isaboke has called for stronger capacity among Government Information Officers to improve the dissemination of public information.
Isaboke made the remarks on Tuesday during a visit to the Kenya News Agency (KNA) offices at Uchumi House in Nairobi, where he engaged staff on ways to strengthen government communication and improve its effectiveness.
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The discussions centred on the role of information officers in bridging the gap between government institutions and the public through the timely, accurate and responsible dissemination of information.
KNA, Kenya’s national news agency, gathers and disseminates news from across the country through its network of County Information Officers stationed in all 47 counties.
The officers provide a link between local communities and the national information space, bringing developments at the grassroots to wider public attention and ensuring that county-level issues feature in national coverage.
During the engagement, discussions explored practical ways of supporting and equipping Government Information Officers to carry out their responsibilities.
The issues raised included strengthening professional skills, improving access to appropriate working tools and resources, and enhancing the quality, reach and impact of government communication.
The meeting also addressed the changing demands of public communication in an increasingly digital and information-driven society, where the dissemination of official statements alone may not be sufficient to ensure that citizens understand government policies and programmes.
Effective communication, the discussions noted, requires credible information, coordination, professional storytelling and the ability to explain government policies, programmes and public investments in ways that citizens can understand and relate to their daily lives.
The role of officers at the county level also featured prominently in the discussions, given that the impact of government programmes is often felt in local communities.
Strengthening communication at this level would help ensure that citizens’ concerns, community achievements and local development priorities are documented and reflected in national discourse.
The engagement further highlighted the need to invest in the skills and institutional capacity of officers responsible for government communication.
With adequate training, tools and support, information officers can better document public initiatives, amplify community voices and provide citizens with information needed to understand government activities.
Isaboke was accompanied by Secretary for Information and Broadcasting Temesi Mukani.
The visit focused on strengthening the communication structures that support the flow of information from national government offices to communities across the country.
It also highlighted the role of information officers in gathering, verifying, contextualising and disseminating information in the public interest, particularly on government programmes and national development initiatives.
