By Titus Oteba,
Bungoma Communications Focal Person
The Second Kenya Informal Settlements Improvement Project (KISIP2) has lauded the critical role played by the County Communications Focal Persons in giving the project visibility.
Various speakers who spoke during a three – day workshop for the communications officers in Naivasha, called upon the practitioners to embrace professionalism and work-related ethics when executing their assignments.
Mr.Titus Oteba, the article writer, during the just concluded training in Naivasha.
“County Communications Focal Persons play a key role in supporting stakeholder sensitization on interventions by KISIP 2. Communications is a tool that can increase visibility of this project and minimize risks. Key to deriving maximum value from it however, there must be deliberate tactics and approach to drive the message to stakeholders and positively impact the outcome,” noted the KISIP 2 National Project Coordinator George Arwa in a speech read on his behalf by Stella Gitimu, Head of Component 4 where the communications unit is domiciled.
Development Communications and External Affairs Specialist at the World Bank Keziah Muthembwa, informed the forum that development communications require more than media relations but strategic tactics to come up with in-depth stories of impact which can also spur socio-economic development.
While addressing the participants virtually, the Agence française de développement (AFD) external affairs specialist Vermersch Lea, urged the forum to ensure projects visibility and sustained coverage.
“We must ensure proactive visibility through application of tactics including social media platforms, audio visual, digital marketing, media relations and branding,” she said.
Director of Communications at the Council of Governors Yvonne Ogwang, urged the team to embrace the institution’s subnational repository for sharing success stories from devolved units.
“The Council of Governors prides itself in establishing Kenya’s premier subnational repository for sharing devolution solutions. This is the Maarifa Centre,” said told the forum, urging communicators to utilize it.
The workshop noted that this is a critical Knowledge Management hub that documents and shares best practices collected from all devolved sectors across the counties.
Director of Media Training and Development at the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) Victor Bwire, added that publicity plays a major role in marketing the projects being undertaken by educating the public.
Bwire noted that good messaging plays critical role for communicators so that the public is sensitized of projects being implemented by the government and supported by development partners.
“It is critical for you to develop stories which encourages members of the public to embrace the projects being undertaken, publicity on upgrading of infrastructure in informal settlement areas is very important so that public is aware and informed of what is taking place,” said Bwire.
He called on county communicators to be equipped with knowledge about KISIP2 projects taking place in their areas of jurisdiction so that they can help in churning educative stories.
Senior Editor in charge of MyGoV Publications at the Government Advertising Agency Peter Mbithi, took the participants through editorial requirements for publication of development stories.
KISIP2 is being implemented by the Government of Kenya through funding by development partners including the World Bank, AFD and the European Union.
