File image of President William Ruto
President William Ruto should move quickly to regulate news content on national television and in newspapers.
This is in the wake of recent protests against the 2024 Finance Bill and anti-government demonstrations across the country.
The media’s coverage of these events has arguably cast the Kenyan government in a negative light. Given the wide reach of the media, this portrayal has a significant impact on public perception.
Frequently, the media fails to highlight positive aspects of the government and instead magnifies and repeats perceived negatives.
President Ruto could consider adopting the strategies of his predecessors, Uhuru Kenyatta and the late Mwai Kibaki. Kibaki intervened with KTN to prevent negative coverage of his administration, while Uhuru referred to the press as “gazette ni ya nyama” to downplay negative publicity.
The President should not underestimate the influence of the media and should take decisive action to ensure that government issues are not reported negatively.
File image of President William Ruto
The government should also instruct the Cabinet Secretary in charge of communications to be strict about how the Kenya Kwanza regime is portrayed.
Morning discussions on major media platforms often portray the Ruto government unfavorably. It is time for President Ruto to take decisive action.
With social media emerging as a new form of opposition, especially after Azimio leader Raila Odinga shifted focus to his African Union Commission bid, the government should be concerned about the potential influence of netizens.
Even in the United States, TikTok has been banned for similar reasons, just as China has restricted access to YouTube and other social media platforms.
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