NAIROBI, Kenya – The government has directed all ministries, departments, and agencies to step up public communication, coordinate messaging, and proactively address misinformation, in a new directive issued as the administration enters the final year of its first term.
A circular dated August 17, 2026, and signed by Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, has been sent to all Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, the Government Spokesperson and heads of government agencies.
The circular, seen by Y News, acknowledges that the government’s communication has often been reactive and, at times, marked by conflicting narratives.
It says the situation has contributed to an erosion of public trust and exposed gaps in the government’s response to crises.
The directive comes after the Cabinet approved the National Communication Policy, which is intended to provide a framework for coordinated communication across government ministries, departments and agencies.
The Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy has previously described the policy as a framework for standardising how government policies and programmes are communicated, while strengthening citizen engagement and public trust.
The government has now ordered ministries and agencies to take primary responsibility for communicating policies, programmes, projects and initiatives under their respective mandates.
Agencies to develop communication strategies
Under the new directive, every ministry, department and agency is required to develop and implement a communication strategy aligned with the National Communication Policy.
The strategies are expected to clearly outline the policies and programmes being implemented by each institution and include crisis, emergency and risk communication protocols.
They must also contain plans for engaging citizens and stakeholders, budgets for public communication and frameworks for continuous engagement with the media.
The circular further calls for public communication functions to be elevated within government institutions to ensure they receive adequate institutional support.
The directive signals a shift towards communication being treated as part of policy and programme implementation rather than as a function activated only after a major announcement or crisis.
The National Communication Policy itself identifies the need for proactive communication, effective stakeholder management and stronger capacity to respond to crises.
National Communication Centre to coordinate government information
The State Department for Broadcasting and Telecommunications has also been directed to immediately operationalise the National Communication Centre (NCC), established under Executive Order No. 1 of 2025.
According to the circular, the centre will serve as the government’s information repository and central coordinating entity.
It will receive, collate, validate and prepare government information for dissemination.
The arrangement is intended to improve coordination and reduce the possibility of different government institutions issuing contradictory information on the same issue.
The National Communication Policy assigns the public communication function to the State Department for Broadcasting and Telecommunications under the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy.
Government Spokesperson given amplification role
The Office of the Government Spokesperson has been directed to amplify government communication and messaging across various platforms.
However, the circular says such communication should be based on agreed narratives and positions developed with the responsible ministries, departments and agencies.
The aim is to ensure consistency, coherence and effectiveness in government messaging.
The directive also requires government institutions to make greater use of official communication channels, including Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, Kenya News Agency, the Kenya Yearbook Editorial Board, the Government Advertising Agency, the National Communication Centre, the ICT Authority and official government websites and social media platforms.
The government has further directed MDAs to utilise government-assigned Public Communication Officers.
Where third-party communication services are considered necessary, the circular says institutions must follow Public Service Commission policies and obtain concurrence from the Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service.
Crisis communication committee established
The circular establishes a National Crisis Communication Standing Committee to coordinate government communication during major crises and emergencies.
The committee will be chaired by the Principal Secretary for Broadcasting and Telecommunications.
Its membership will include the Principal Secretary for Interior and National Administration, the Principal Secretary for the National Treasury, the principal secretary responsible for the relevant state department, the Government Spokesperson and other government officers who may be seconded to the committee.
The Secretary for Public Communications will serve as secretary to the committee.
The move formalises a central mechanism for responding to crises at a time when the government has acknowledged weaknesses in crisis communication.
Communication to become part of government projects
The directive also requires major government projects to have communication plans and risk identification and mitigation measures from the initial planning stage.
This means communication considerations are expected to be incorporated before projects are implemented rather than being introduced after challenges arise.
Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and heads of government agencies have been assigned direct responsibility for ensuring proactive, timely and coordinated communication within their institutions.
They have also been tasked with countering misinformation and preventing what the government describes as external actors from shaping national discourse.
Communication targets to enter performance contracts
Another major change is the requirement for all government ministries, departments and agencies to integrate communication plans into their Performance Contracting arrangements.
The communication plans will be required to contain measurable outputs linked to the respective mandates of the institutions.
The directive therefore places responsibility for government communication directly on senior officials and ties communication performance to the wider system used to assess government institutions.
The government’s latest policy documents have increasingly emphasised the importance of traditional and digital media, with the National Communication Policy recognising social media as an important channel for public information and feedback.
The Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy currently lists a final communications policy dated January 22, 2026 among its policy documents.
The August 17 circular now gives the administration’s communication agenda an immediate implementation deadline, directing all government institutions to take action under a whole-of-government approach.
The directive comes as the administration moves into the final year of its first term and seeks to improve public confidence, counter misinformation and present a more coordinated account of government policies and achievements.
