LILIAN KIMETO: Why communication is critical in public governance

World over, Governments use communication as a governance tool to engage citizens on important national issues.

It is also used to pursue a unified messaging approach in a way that protects the image and reputation of the entire government.

As a matter of fact, government exist to legislate, tax and communicate public policies to citizens and manage public perceptions.

The government of Kenya, for example, has operations that are spread out from Nairobi, the capital city to the remotest village in every corner of the country.

The Government also has three arms namely: The Executive, Legislature & Judiciary. All three arms serve over 40 million Kenyans and other global stakeholders.

That makes Government communication as complex as the entity itself.

The structures involved in both communication and information sharing are heterogeneous, both within and outside the government.

The process to develop a well-thought-through, coherent and integrated communication Policy for a one government-one voice communication to be achieved, is equally complex and multi-layered.

The process to develop a communication policy requires a survey of existing ICT systems, International agreements as well as an assessment of the methodologies used by the different Government Ministries, Departments & Agencies to reach their audiences.

It also requires expertise in integrating communication into all socio-economic, political and cultural dynamics in a Country that is very diverse like Kenya.

For example, Development Communication experts ought to help both the citizens and the government to restructure their mental framework to align with the Vision of the new government.

The country will be relying on these experts to come up with strategies to guide how Kenyans and their government can interweave their socio-economic lives with the political process that is ongoing in the country.

Communication experts can also provide guidance on how to professionalise the processes used to: create awareness, influence attitudes, opinions and behaviour, carry out dialogue on issues of national importance and institutionalize a listening (and engaging )culture in public institutions.

The governance of a country requires everyone’s contribution: the citizens, the government, the business community, development partners etc to establish social relations with each other.

It is communication that drives and facilitates those relationships using both mass media and interpersonal communication systems.

A key aspect of governance is how citizens, leaders and public institutions relate to each other in order to make things happen.

A two-way communication model allows the citizens to add their voice to policy formulation(like it happened when Kenya Kwanza signed charters with county governments) and dialogue with Government on issues that affect their lives.

Communication and Media are powerful agents in giving a voice to the poor.

Open and participatory communication contributes to inclusive governance and accelerates economic development.

The State uses communication to gain legitimacy and create ownership of its administration by the citizens who in this case is the Hustler nation.

Communication is a critical tool for use to demonstrate a government’s responsiveness, accountability and capability.

Many development experts do agree that information is a critical factor of production in the planning, execution and evaluation of development activities carried out by the government for the citizens.

It is the interface between the social and technical aspects of development.

Human communication has a central role in the economic growth and transformation of a country through the provision of horizontal and vertical communication linkages at all levels of society 

Having communication channels through which people at all levels of society and in all regions can have the capability to have a shared understanding of what the country’s economic development priorities are is also necessary.

Further, determining people’s needs and providing citizens access to channels and systems in which they can engage ad to receive feedback from their leaders that is required for decision-making is also key in economic transformation.

Kenya has just received a new administration following the election won by Kenya Kwanza and President William Ruto together with his Deputy President were sworn in on September 15, 2022.

This is the time for Communication experts both inside and outside Government to make a case for a Communication Policy that will bring about a structured one government -one voice.

Communication experts and the Media ought to support the Government, as the fourth Estate to help move the country forward.

Instead of igniting fires within government, the Communication experts and the media ought to be framing issues that will inform the next level of this country’s collective life.

For example, Media ought to focus on the drought that is ravaging huge parts of the country, the high cost of living that is affecting every citizen as well as the task force formed by President William Ruto to review the country’s Education System.

There have been incidents where senior Government Officials are contradicting the new administration and in some cases, it is a clear case of outright insubordination.

I agree, totally with the Nandi County Senator Kiprotich Cherargei who has advised Government agencies to stop answering their seniors through social media but instead utilise the available government channels to address emerging issues and just engage on issues that require a common government position.

Kenyan Communication and Media experts who have always complained about not being at the decision table now have the perfect moment to strike and show value by delivering the methodology, and /or strategy that will help the Government use Communication as a good governance tool to address cases, such as the ones I have pointed out.

Lilian Kimeto is a Media Studies & Participatory Communication Expert([email protected])