Kisumu Media Center hosts Panel Discussion on Access to Information

                      

By HENRY OWINO

The Kisumu Media and Information Center hosted a lively panel discussion on access to information on August 20, 2015 afternoon. The forum was attended by journalists, civil society actors and Kisumu County government officials. 

The Panelists included the Kisumu County Executive Member for Communication, Information and Technology Mr. Michael Onyango, Standard Media Group Nyanza Regional Editor Frank Otieno and a governance consultant Jamine Madara. 

A section of participants at the Panel Discussion on Acces to Information

Also in attendance was Sigrid Thomsen, a trainer from Deutsch Welle Akademie in Germany which together with the Kenya Correspondents Association(KCA) organized the panel discussion as part of a five day media training workshop in Kisumu from August 17-21, 2015. 

The session was  moderated by the KCA Chairman William Oloo Janak. The participants engaged in a a two and a half hour discussion on: Access to Information in Kisumu: Does it work for democratic participation?

Frank Otieno of the Standard Media Group  explained the challenges facing journalists in Kisumu and the Nyanza region in accesing information from the County Governments and leaders saying this had compromised the flow of accurate information to members of the public, which in the process hindered their effective participation in public affairs.

He said there was also a need for journalists to change their approach to dealing with public institutions and leaders in seeking information and on reporting issues including those touching on devolution. He said the focus should shift from personalities to issues for the benefit of citizens.

KCA Chairman Oloo Janak introduces the panelists

The Regional Editor  said there was need for more integrity among journalists if the news sources and institutions were to trust them with information. The packaging of news, he said, required more inclusion of substantive issues instead of the current situation where most journalists tended to focus on personalities whose views were largely political.

"The media has an important oversight role in public affairs and the challenge we have as journalists is to move away from personality based reporting so that we foccus on important information that can enable the public to hold the leaders and institutions more accountable," he emphasized. 

Otieno however pointed out that access to information in Kisumu County and other counties in Nyanza remained difficult as there were "cartels and other influential people" around the County Governors and the County Assemblies, which tightly managed public information and tended to deny journalists access.

" I believe there is need for journalists and the different media outlets to work together more if we are to effectively discharge our oversight role over the executive and other arms of governments for greater public good," he added. 

Frank Otieno of the Standard Media Group stresses a point 

Governance Consultant Jamine Madara said it was disappointing that contrary to earlier expectations that the new constitution would facilitate greater access to information, there were continued bottlenecks for citizens in accessing information, especially from the counties, thereby inhibiting their effective participation.

"The old order which denied citizens information in the former local authorities remain,creating huge hudles on accessing important information, especially on the bugeting process, which is key to the implementation of development projects." he said. 

Madara, a former civic leader in Siaya said the Kisumu County Government and other devolved units must seek active parterships with the media to get out information to the public and also develop other structures for public engagment.

Panelist Jamine Madara speaks at the forum

"Public participation is not only important for the counties but necessary if the frustrations we currently see among the citizens are to be overcome. They must be allowed to make input in the planning development initiatives," he said. 

On his part, the Kisumu County Executive Member for Communication, Information and Technology Michael Onyango said he and his team were in the process of improving the flow of information to both the public and the media in the county.

" We have identified at least twelve possible channels for public engagment and we are moving fast to exploit information technology and the media to reach out to the public with critical information that should help them participate more effectively in public issues," he said. 

He said the County government was slowed down by a number of factors including managing a big workforce of over 3800 employees some of whom had not appreciated the need for the changes being implemented to make access to information easier to the public. 

Kisumu CE for Communication, Michael Onyango 

"We are also dissapointed by the media and particularly the kind of information being aired by the local FM stations. Every week, we give out alot of useful information on what the county government is implementing but this is often ignored for more sensational stuff," said The county official.

He said while the County Government recognized the importance of the media, it was important for journalists to be more perceptive in their analysis and packaging of information to help the public understand isssues and to avoid concentrating on politics. 

                                                                       

There were efforts, he said, to improve access to information for citizens in all the sub counties in Kisumu through packaging information in usable formats and putting up public information boards across the county.

The panel presentations were followed with a robust engagement from the journalists and civil society actors at the forum who called for greater access to information from the Kisumu CountyGovernment, even as they welcomed the declaration by the County Government official that there were initiatives by his office to open up more space for access to information. 

Most participants at the forum said the county government had remained opaque and inaccessible, especially on budget making processes and legislation and had done little to facilite meaningful public participation. 

Obure of Kijobi caled for timely information

John Obure of Kijobi, a local civil society organization said the county government was guilty of denying the public crucial information, especially on budgets and often provided inadequat time for public participation.

" The county officials do not give adequate notice to members of the public to attend public forums and even when they come, they are in a hurry, expecting us to read a 100 page document in one hour and make meaning input!," said Obure.

Audi Ogada of Kisumu Citizens Voice lauded the media for helping the public and local civil society organizations to voice concerns over public issues including on mismanagement of resources.

"Journalists have many challenges accessing information and work under difficult conditions, including low salaries but they have done and continue to do a good job. We would not have kept the county government and other leaders accountable had it not been for the media," said Ogada.

Audi Ogada: Lauded media role  

Most of the journalists said they had difficulties accessing information from the County Governments although the situation was improving in some respects. They cited media ownership and attitude of some editors as a stumbling block to reporting on development stories from the counties. 

" Some of the media owners and editors have their own agenda and even when we make efforts to report on development stories from the counties based on good information we have accessed, they still want political stories and drama," said Jeremiah Chamakany from Baringo County.

Journalists attending the panel discussion welcomed the pledge by the County Executive to make access to information easier and said they would continue to engage him and his office.

 

The perfomance of the media came under sharp spotlight during the discussions with questions being raised on the careless use of local languages on the vernacular radio stations. Journalists were urged to be mindful of their choice of words while disseminating information to the public. 

The vernacular radio stations were singled out for using offensive language both in their news broadcasts and on funeral announcements, which most local communities found unacceptable. 

Lomo: Radio language offensive

Mzee Adhiambo Lomo, an expert in Dholuo language said the older generation of Dholuo speakers were often offended by the "carelessness of the presenters who are in the habit of inventing their own words to replace those that are generally known and allowed in certain contexts."

Mzee Lomo said many families who lost relatives felt offended  and demeaned by the choice of words used by many radio stations, especially when making funeral announcements. 

" How do you use such offensive words as: "obango pamba, onindo e bade or oleng'o lewe, which completely show no respect to the dead and family members and relatives," he asked the journalists present. 

The words, he said, are generally casual references to mean someone had passed on and are regarded as disrespectful among members of the Luo community. 

“ The Luo community has a rich language and cultural diversity. Journalists and media organizations should therefore respect its values and principles when reporting or breaking news on death and funeral announcements,” Lomo cautioned.

Sigrid Thomsen at the forum

He gave the example of more respectful words to use such as: Otho, Oyweyo, Nyasaye oome, which he said were generally more acceptable in reference to either breaking news of deaths or in funeral announcements. 

“I do not think the current generation of journalists  in vernacular radio stations understand the local languages well. Many elders and I who understand the language and culture should be invited to the studios to help the presenters improve their grasp of Dholuo language," he volunteered. 

Janak, the Chairman KCA, called upon correspondents to be mindful of their individual integrity and the profession. He said the ‘brown envelope’or "Mpesa" journalism (bribe) was a major concern within the media industry and was contributing to undermining credible and investigative reporting  on public issues touching on both national and the county governments. 

Journalists at the forum: Integrity is key in their work

Janak said the increasing levels of corruption among journalists had made some institutions and leaders lose faith in the media and in some cases tended to avoid some of the journalists.  

 He said while it was true most journalists, especially correspondents, were not well paid, the "brown envelope culture" could not be a sustainable way of work and had tended to undermine the process of accessing information from many news sources. 

He however urged the county governments to stop harrasing the journalists based in the counties, including colluding with editors and media managers to get only favourable stories published saying this undermined public confidence in the media.