The government has issued fresh directives to state agencies on handling communication following recent incidents of misinformation involving top officials.
Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, through his deputy Amos Gathecha, stressed the importance of proper communication during the National Forum on Enhancing Government Communication Through Digital Innovation, Artificial Intelligence and Inclusive Practices. Koskei underscored that inclusive communication is essential to governance, ensuring that every Kenyan from pastoralists in Turkana to professionals in Nairobi feels heard and represented.
“Inclusive communication is when every Kenyan from the pastoralist in Turkana to the fisherfolk in Lamu, from the youth in Kibera to the professionals in Nairobi feels heard and understood, then government becomes real, tangible, and alive,” said Koskei.
Gathecha noted that the digital era has made online platforms powerful tools for mobilisation but also fertile ground for misinformation and disinformation. He warned that delays or inconsistencies in government messaging often create room for alternative narratives, many of which are false or distorted.
The directive comes after Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and Medical Services PS Ouma Oluga were forced to address reports suggesting they contradicted each other over the future of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) workers. The Daily Nation claimed the two held opposing views, prompting clarifications from the Ministry of Health.
Oluga explained that while CS Duale promised the conversion of UHC workers to permanent and pensionable terms, his own letter to the Council of Governors only sought to verify active staff for payroll cleansing. He maintained that his position did not contradict the CS but was part of wider reforms to ensure accountability and transparency in workforce management. The Nation Media Group later pulled down the article.
The issue follows heightened scrutiny of government communication, especially after CS Duale called out The Standard newspaper on August 28. The publication linked him and Social Health Authority (SHA) Chairperson Abdi Mohamed to an ongoing payments scandal, sparking public calls for their resignation.
Koskei’s directive now seeks to strengthen communication structures across government agencies to guard against misinformation and restore public trust.
