• The move is seemingly aimed at ensuring political debates in the target radio stations are devoid of incitement amid rising political tensions.
• Mucheru said the working group will be chaired by Sammy Muraya and Phyllis Wakiaga as the vice chairperson.
Image: FILE
ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru has appointed a 15-member technical working group to coordinate and oversee political debates in vernacular radio stations ahead of the August polls.
In a gazette notice released on Friday, Mucheru said the team will be tasked with coordinating gubernatorial, senatorial and women representative debates in community and vernacular media outlets.
The move is seemingly aimed at ensuring political debates in the target media outlets are devoid of incitement amid rising political tensions in the country.
Mucheru said the working group will be chaired by Sammy Muraya and Phyllis Wakiaga as the vice chairperson.
"The term of office of the technical working group shall be a period of six months from the date of publication of this notice," Mucheru said.
Muraya is a seasoned journalist and project manager with over 15 years of experience as a broadcast journalist.
Wakiaga is a lawyer and corporate executive who has served as the chief executive officer of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, KEPSA, since 2015.
All the other 13 members of the team have been drawn from the media.
They are Tom Mboya, Jonah Ngare, Vincent Ateya, Stephen Kangogo and Martin Maasai.
Others are Leo Mutisya, Susan Karago, Joel Karanja, Kevin Nyangweso, Joseph Kipkoech, Rose Wakio, Simaloi Dajom and Roly Davila.
Mucheru said the Media Council of Kenya shall act as the secretariat of the team during its tenancy.
He outlined several terms of reference that will guide the team in executing its mandate.
They include evaluation of community and vernacular media ability to hold the debates and their technical collaboration to hold joint debates.
The group has also been tasked with building the capacity of such media outlets and their staff in holding the debates.
It is also expected to fundraise and establish revenue sharing modalities for the participating media houses.
The team has been asked to prepare a work plan and submit progress to the CS.
"The team shall hold meetings, public forums or consultations as it shall deem necessary for the proper discharge of its mandate," Mucheru said.
He said the group is also at liberty to consult with development partners, state entities and any other group as it may deem necessary.
The establishment of the working group is undoubtedly a deliberate move by government to regulate the political rhetoric in the country.
Vernacular radio stations in Africa have on several occasions been sanctioned for having contributed to political upheavals.
Notable examples include the 1994 Rwandan genocide, Kenya's 2007-2008 post election violence and the 2013 civil war in the Central African Republic.