Public Relations practitioners in Kenya want the Ministry of Information, Communication and The Digital Economy to fast track plans on the formulation of a bill that will protect and serve the needs of the profession.
According to the Public Relations Society of Kenya (PRSK) President Arik Karani, as an industry, the lack of a legal framework to govern the operations of the professionals in this field has been the biggest challenge in their work.
Karani said there is no bill that is anchored in law to make the profession recognized in the East Africa region. “In Kenya we have made a lot of strides in terms of ensuring that we have a bill that is ready,” he said.
In response, the Ministry of Information, Communications and The Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo said the Ministry already has plans to have the profession fully anchored in law.
In a speech read on his behalf by the Information Secretary Judy Munyinyi, CS Owalo urged the communication professionals to always take up opportunities that arise to support the government agenda through their communication work.
At the same time, Karani asked the government to cushion the communication department in Ministries whenever there are budget cuts claiming it is always the first to be affected.
The national PR President said they are going to have round table with the CEOs during the five-day forum to discuss the importance of avoiding budget cuts to the department since communication was a management function.
He further stated that the role of public relation department is to create a good image for the target organization in the face of the public hence the need to always secure its budget.
Karani noted that communication was important, giving an example of the Covid-19 era where the globe was able to withstand the threat because there was effective communication in terms of informing the public on measures to take to prevent themselves from infection or infecting others.
“We do understand that budget cuts are necessary as an important way of being able to grow as a country, but we are appealing to the government not to reduce the budget drastically when it comes to communication as the public needs to stay informed,” he added.
He said whenever there are budget cuts, the department of communication is affected, which in turn makes a problem to communicate government development programmes to the public.
The professionals have made strides by conducting the first East Africa Public Relations week where seven countries from the region have converged in Mombasa for a five-day forum.
Karani cited the need for the professionals from the region to come together for communication and regional integration in order to have maximum impact.
Uganda PR president Steven Mwanga said that as spokespersons there is need for the professionals to gather strength through meetings on how they can fix issues happening in the region.
“Everything happening in the region affects our profession and that’s why we should come together and tackle what is happening as one force,” said Mwanga.
More than 500 PR practitioners across the East African region are in attendance. The theme of the forum is: “Thinking toward tomorrow.”
By Chari Suche
