The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has urged journalists to remain at the forefront in pushing for access to information at the counties and utilising the same for public good. The Council recently conducted a training in Meru County brought together journalists and officials from County Assembly of Meru.
The MCK Manager for Press Freedom, Safety and Advocacy Ms Dinnah Ondari underscored the place of the right to information in enabling citizens to exercise their rights and freedoms, hence resulting to more transparent and accountable government. She urged journalists to uphold professionalism and a positive attitude when seeking information.
Ms Ondari emphasised the importance of submitting a formal information request in writing either in English or Kiswahili, and that when seeking information, the applicant should provide sufficient details and specifics for the official to understand information being sought.
She guided the participants through Section 6 of the Access to Information Act that imposes restrictions on information access, which a journalist should become acquainted with.
“When the exercise or protection of a citizen's rights or fundamental freedoms is required, the restriction also applies to information held by other individuals or private entities”, she said.
“Counties are an important source of information for journalists. Today's session was meant provide a platform for journalists and county government officials to understand the access to information framework and discuss emerging issues that affect their professional working relationship”, said Ms Ondari.
She added that devolution presents an opportunity for journalists to participate in public processes such as budgeting, legislation and the other issues that affect the day-to-day lives of citizens. It is therefore critical to build the capacities of the institutions and individuals involved in the supply and demand side of information to enhance smooth exchange of information that promotes public interest”, said the officer.
"It is critical that both journalists and the county government of Meru collaborate for the benefit of citizens who rely on both institutions for information”,she noted.
MCK’s Senior Officer, Research Planning and Strategy Mr Jacob Nyukuri guided the participants on ways to curb misinformation. According to a survey conducted on social media platforms in 2021, social media is the primary target for misinformation, with WhatsApp topping the list.
“When there's lack of information then there's room for misinformation. When information is not provided in the right form with the correct format, then it leaves room for speculations and that's what leads to misinformation”, he said.
He added that it is safe to use these platforms with caution because it is difficult to know the intentions and motives of the person sharing the content. “Misinformation may be directed at politicians, political parties, government entities, or media outlets in order to persuade others to act, to oppose others, to deceive, or for financial gain”, he said.
He pointed out that journalists and public officials can help mitigate the spread of misinformation in various ways, including promoting media literacy, encouraging independent and professional journalism, and discouraging information censorship.
He also stated that the County Assembly can help improve public communication by providing accurate and up-to-date information. He emphasised the importance of journalists conducting due diligence on a story before sharing it, rather than simply copying and pasting it.
“Journalists have control over the content we create. Therefore, there is an obligation to make sure the information we report is accurate as possible and not dwell on speculations”, he said.
Meru County Assembly Deputy Director Public Communication Mercy Nthuku stated that the County Assembly strives to be as transparent as possible with information to the media.
She also mentioned that the County has established a WhatsApp group to facilitate communication, as well as a public website where anyone can obtain information.
“We are planning a media breakfast where we intend to understand all the challenges that the media have. We also have a plan of establishing a media center which will grant media outlets easier access to information to share with the public”, she said.
She added that her office will work on accrediting parliamentary reporters to address misrepresentation of information as a result of failure of knowing how to present parliamentary information.
She emphasised the importance of reporters understanding what happens in parliament and the parliamentary language used by its members, asserting the need for training.
By the end of the exercise, the Council had trained journalists on information access, press freedom and journalist safety when accessing information.