The Director of Information, Joseph Kipkoech, has emphasised the need for journalists to exercise high levels of professionalism, characterised by integrity, honesty, fairness and determination, as they go about their assignments, particularly at the county level.
Saying that media is the mirror of society and voice of the voiceless, Kipkoech urged journalists to strive and win trust from both their sources and communities they operate in.
The Director particularly asked the Kenya News Agency (KNA) staff to ensure they serve at their respective stations with commitment, as they had the crucial task of articulating the government’s development agenda and policies.
Kipkoech made the remarks when he made a working tour of the Kiambu County Information Office.
He was accompanied by the Deputy Director of Information (Administration) at the Directorate of Information, Hillary Obwocha and the Deputy Director of Information in charge of Kiambu County, Violet Otindo.
The Director urged staff under the Directorate of Information to always be proactive, persistent and confident in their service as they expound and report on government undertakings at the grassroots level.
Kipkoech assured that beyond news gathering, the Directorate is committed to supporting staff development through apprenticeship and training opportunities.
“Work with a high level of integrity, honesty and determination within your stations; you are our representatives and you must do more to win public confidence and trust so that you may articulate and report on developmental matters and issues affecting people at the grassroots as a vital pillar of effective government communication,” Kipkoech emphasised.
He encouraged coverage of untapped human-interest stories and devolution development milestones in Kiambu and other counties.
“KNA officers are the eyes and ears of the Directorate at the grassroots. Your conduct, credibility and reliability will determine how effectively we connect the government to the public,” said Kipkoech.
In his remarks, Obwocha outlined the strategic values of KNA and the need to always be factual and observe accuracy and timely information transmission of both local and international matters as they happen in their areas of jurisdiction.
“KNA is the source of first-hand information, even for global media houses such as the BBC. This means every report, whether it’s a breaking story or a development feature, must be well-researched, verified and professionally crafted,” he stressed.
During the visit, the Nairobi team commended Kiambu’s agricultural contributions to the country’s economy, with Kipkoech noting that the devolved entity accounts for 8 per cent of Kenya’s total tea production, ranking fourth nationally.
He urged the local media team to highlight such economic strengths and tell more stories that showcase the region’s progress, particularly in agriculture, infrastructure, health, and youth empowerment.
The delegation also encouraged the adoption of multimedia journalism, advising attachés and staff to expand their skills in photography, videography and digital storytelling.
As part of the visit, the team paid a courtesy call to key stakeholders, including the Judiciary.
Alfred Kibiru, Chief Magistrate and head of station at the Kiambu Law courts said that all public servants are working towards a common goal, hence the need for collaboration and sharing of experiences amongst all public institutions, such as the judiciary and government entities such as the Kenya News Agency, aimed at improving public understanding of judicial processes through accurate and responsible court reporting.
The Information team also visited the County Commissioner’s office, where they met Senior Assistant County Commissioner Eric Okacha Maiben. He commended KNA’s role in sharing government information and pledged continued collaboration to enhance public awareness at the county level.
On her part, the County Information Officer, Violet Otindo, assured of continued commitment by the Kiambu field staff in publicising the government’s efforts on development matters and service to the people.
she added that, “Here we also receive interns who are on training to join various sectors of serving the nation. We nurture talents and produce high-quality content on all platforms.
adding that, “Kiambu is a high-impact region, and we are keen to tell the world untold stories of development, resilience, and innovation happening here in this region.”
The courtesy call marked a renewed commitment by KNA leadership to enhancing county-level reporting while building strong partnerships with other government institutions and also amplifying community voices through high-quality journalism.
By Michelle Njeri
