Reviving the tourism sector through the MKSE programme

motherhood and career can co-exist with a bit of thoughtful planning and sacrifice.

With so many accomplishments under your belt, what two values are most important to you; that you live by and shape how you work, live, and run your organisation?

1. Authenticity 2. Excellence

I am genuine, reliable, and faithful to every assignment I undertake. I execute my work with utmost excellence, continually giving my best. I don’t compete with others; I compete with my previous best performance. I am my own competition.

My ambassadorial appointment as a representative of the Kingdom of God gives me great perspective and keeps me grounded. I am a steward of the capabilities God has given me so that I may make a difference in people’s lives. Daily, I think of my impact both in the marketplace and in the church where I serve as an ordained pastor.

How do you describe yourself, and what is your leadership style? We asked.

I am a connector, an advisor, and a peopledeveloper. I have always used a strengthsbased leadership style which I call the “fish in water” style. I easily spot people’s areas of excellence and allow them to excel in doing what comes naturally to them.

And indeed, those who know Ruth Musembi described her as an extremely confident and inspirational go-getter who expects excellence, yet makes people feel safe and validated.

Ruth and I share a number of groups including the PRSK platforms and the Network for Women in Media and PR and yes, her presence there is of great value. We appreciate your wise counsel and words of wisdom.

As we wrap up this interview, we asked Ruth if she had a chance to create a totally new world for young people what would she wish for their new world? Three things:

• A world where people seal their communication with excellence. If we get our communication right, we will live harmoniously and enjoy our stay in this world.

• A purpose-driven world where everyone has crystal clarity of the difference they ought to make and where success is defined by impact and fulfilment, not just money.

• A world where everyone has an entrepreneurial mindset – whether in business or employment. This is because entrepreneurship is about value creation, problem-solving and excellent customer service; a world where employees work as intrapreneurs.

Do you know of a woman whose story will inspire and challenge us to be the best version of ourselves? If yes, @Esther Kiragu and I are looking forward to your recommendation. Feel free to reach out to any of us. Thank you.

process for me.”

I come from a strong Catholic family, coupled with enrolling in a Catholic Primary School gave me a robust foundation. The values I cherish and now seek to promote including integrity were seeded there. We had weekly pastoral education, hymn classes, mass and confession – having to take penance every week from the age of eight drove one to do the right thing always.

Her career path is an interesting turn of events.

Sheila Masinde

Well, I heard of Sheila before I met her. I remember her as a news presenter during her radio days on Easy FM, under the Nation Media Group. She would later become my boss at the BBC Media Action, Nairobi, between 2011-2014. She served as the Communications and Training Manager then.

Shei, as loves to call herself, she’s the second born and only girl in a family of four children. “Fighting for the preferred pieces of chicken, meat or bread with boys made me learn to claim my space early in life. You had to be outspoken to be heard by the boys in our home. Therefore, the fight for equality and equity is almost a natural As a young girl, @Shei wanted to be a journalist cum creative writer. She started as a contributor in the dailies while still at the University. Despite her interest in the media, the first job that came calling upon completion of her undergraduate studies was in a HIV/AIDS peer education and behavior change university programme run by ‘I Choose Life-Africa.’

“At ICL, I worked as a Programme Trainer and was later promoted to Assistant Programme Manager. I then had a two-

year stint in radio, and after two years I was thirsting to get experience in another medium, so I went into online subediting for the Nation News website.”

Following the post-election violence, she realized she had an urge to do more than report on the events that shaped the nation as part of the Agenda Four reforms.

When Transparency International Kenya advertised the role of Advocacy and Communications Officer, she jumped at it with the desire to contribute towards anti-corruption efforts.

“My first stint at TI-Kenya spanned three years, my tenure coincided with the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution and I was thus charged with leading institutional civic education efforts ahead of the Referendum and I was involved in the development and advocacy of laws that supported the implementation of the new Constitution as well.”

It was truly a fulfilling period of learning and serving beyond the given JD, I had bargained for a communications role but in the end I drew a learning curve in many other aspects of democracy and governance work such as legislative advocacy, and this experience pointed my career path towards another direction.

She later on joined the BBC Media Action as Communications and Training Manager, but in less than two years TIKenya came calling again and this time, she took up the role of Research and Learning Manager, and within a year she was promoted to the Head of Programmes position, a role she served for five years before her current appointment to the role of Executive Director.

A role she considers one of her biggest achievements, especially at a time the country is gearing and driving the vision for a corruption-free Kenya. This is no easy task but it is a demonstration that going that extra mile, challenging one’s self to swim in uncharted waters and being all-rounded are propelling factors for leadership opportunities.

My personal vision is ‘we will win the fight against corruption in my lifetime.’ Now I suppose I have 30 or 40 more years on earth, with just 20 of these being very active thus every second of the minute, every minute of the hour, every hour of the day, and every day of the year must be dedicated towards flooring this vice.

“Therefore, getting the right strategy, particularly a strategy to drive attitudinal and behavioral change among Kenyans and understanding the psychology of corruption is a key plank for me. I am dedicating my life towards this vision. Not just for me, but for the generation behind us.”

“A key driver for my growth is a positive attitude to learn and drive outside my lane. Throughout my career I have taken up opportunities for both vertical and horizontal growth. When I am confronted with a new responsibility or challenge, even this one I will handle, just like the one I am handling one, which scared me at the beginning.”

“Taking that extra mile to deliver in my work and consistency have been key too. I would not retire a day without delivering on an undertaking. This kind of fulfillment, keeps me stay motivated and focused in all my assignments.”

Traditionally, governance including the anti-corruption field was largely male dominated but things are changing with more women sticking their heads out.

However, we are not there yet. We still convene stakeholder or public events and find that the majority in attendance are men, or even where you have a significant number of women, majority of voices captured are male.

This is telling of the ground that is yet to be covered to give women the confidence that they too can speak about corruption, this is important as they bear the biggest brunt of it.

I thus hope that my leadership will draw more women, young or old, to speak about and actively tackle pertinent issues on abuse of power or resources.

@Shei undelines integrity as her principal guiding value. She considers it as the cement that holds all other values in place. “I also value teamwork because I know that alone I am just but a microdrop in the ocean but together with others I can achieve much more, this is especially important in the promotion of integrity as it cannot be achieved in a vacuum.

Well, I was privileged to have worked with @shei, and now I share a number of professional groups with her, so I asked other people to describe her. The following adjectives were mentioned more than once- Determined. Meticulous. Amicable. Articulate. Experimental. Pragmatic. Empowering. I couldn’t agree more. This is the @Shei I know.

As we end this encounter, we get curious and ask, if she had a chance to create a new world for her child/children, what would she wish for in their new world and what should we do differently?

“I wish for a future that is devoid of theft, the atrocious kind we see today that has caused the loss of lives and opportunities for those most vulnerable or deserving. I am motivated as I think of the immense opportunities and resources for our children ‘in my ideal world.’

But she quicky points out that this requires that all resources in this country are efficiently mobilised and deployed for the benefit of all and not just a select few. This is my biggest inspiration even as I lead in the promotion of integrity as envisioned in the Kenya constitution.

“To get there we must break the chain of corruption, and central to this is developing a strong value system that embraces integrity, transparency and accountability and building a culture that is intolerant to corruption and individuals implicated in acts of corruption.”

There we go.

On this #Chrismas2020, shall we all make a pact that in 2021, we will hear none or less of #Corruption stories in Kenya and that together, we shall help Sheila Masinde achieve her dream and vision for a Corrupt-Free Kenya come to pass? Shall we?

Wavi Mungala

Wavi Muigai has over 15 years of experience across hospitality, banking & public sector in Kenya and the US. She is also a certified customer journey architect, PRSK member and an active member of the Institute of Customer Experience – Kenya. She’s currently serving as the Head of Corporate Communication & Customer Experience at the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB). She loves sunflowers, and she’s a book lover. Reads at least 30 books a year. Challenge accepted.

Well, I met Wavi in my frustrations while looking for my HELB clearance certificate as a Government requirement for a public service job. In one of those devolution conferences, I went to the HELB desk and found an officer that I knew too well, so I asked: “Would you please assist me with contacts of one of the Comms persons at HELB.” They gave me Wavi’s number.

The following week, I reached out to Wavi explained my ordeal and said I was completely tired of looking for my clearance certificate. In two days record time, I had my certificate and a copy on my email. Talk to excellent customer service. Many of us have tales to tell about how hard it was before and how long it took to get HELB certificates. But not anymore. A lot has changed.

Wavi and I kept in touch, and when we finally met in person, some months later, it was love at first sight. We spoke and shared a lot, told her about the various Comms platforms that excited and informed her that I was happy to have her added to those groups. She became a useful resource, and since then, she has helped 1001 people with queries on HELB.

So we asked her, what has it taken to transform HELB into what it is today? Please take us through your career journey.

Growing up, I was always fascinated by the hospitality industry, and I remember telling my folks that one day I want to work in big hotels like Serena and Sarova. My folks have always encouraged us to do what we are passionate about as long as we excel in it. That is how I ended up with a BSc. Hotel Management from USIU.

At USIU, I graduated top of my class with Magna Cum Laude honors. I then got an internship opportunity in the US through the American Hospitality Academy and worked with the Hilton Hotels before I transitioned to the Marriott Hotels for about 5 years. As I worked, I also studied for my MSc. Operations Management at the Friends University, KS.

When I came back to Kenya from the US in February 2008, it was right after the post-election violence and the hotel industry was in the doldrums due to travel advisories. I was faced with my first career crossroads because the hospitality industry was not hiring. Matter of fact was that a lot of hotels were closed!

One day in July of 2008, as I was flipping through the newspaper, I saw a full-page advert by KCB Bank for Management Trainees. I paused and read it over a couple of times and then asked myself; what would I lose by applying? So, I took a risk, repackaged myself and how my skill set would add value and applied for a management trainee at KCB Bank.

In my 7 years at the Bank, I worked as a Brand Marketing Manager in the Marketing Division, Customer Service Manager at the largest branch in the Retail Banking Division and Retail Service Experience Manager overseeing Customer Experience across over 200 branches in the Customer Experience My learning curve was quite steep in the first 2 years at the Bank but I was determined to go the extra mile to put in the extra hours and learn. I was also deliberate to transition to a new role every 2 years. My experience at KCB allowed me to truly grow my brand marketing, retail banking, contact centre and customer experience skills.

As 2014 drew to a close, I started mulling over the idea of exploring my options the following year to transition to a different sector. I signed up for the Program for Management Development at the Strathmore Business School to expand my leadership skills and grow my networks.

My parents having been career civil servants, I was open to Public Service. That is how I ended up at my current job as Head of Corporate Communication and Customer Experience at the Higher Education Loans Board from October 2015.

When I joined HELB, I was tasked with setting up a new department, introducing and operationalizing a modern contact centre, and consolidating service delivery between our staff at HELB desks at the Huduma Centres and Head Office and run media and marketing campaigns to drive loan uptake and loan repayment.

I now lead a team of over 75 staff and have championed citizen service delivery with various awards as a testament to the transformation of HELB Customer Experience. Whilst there is always room for improvement, I am immensely proud of the progress we have achieved in improving service delivery at HELB.

This is in line with our promise of empowering dreams of Kenyan youth who without HELB, would not have an opportunity to pursue higher education with the dignity they deserve.

What are some key lessons you’ve learnt in your career journey that have remained relevant and applicable to date?

“Most people overestimate what they can achieve in a year and underestimate what they can achieve in ten years.” There is a tendency to focus on New Year goals that are typically unachievable.

In 2008, I chose to work with 5-year plans for my career where I would challenge myself to learn a whole new skill set and possibly even in a different sector, where possible, and seek relevant certification in addition to on-the-job experience.

My key lessons therefore are:

1. Your career is your responsibility, do not look to your boss or HR to map your career path. That is a recipe for frustration and epic disappointment. You need to be alive to the fact that as long as your employer has paid your dues as per what you signed on the dotted line; then they owe you nothing else! Deliberately cultivate a learning spirit and be willing to take risks [especially when younger] to try out new roles and careers. It will challenge you and keep work exciting.

2. In 2013, A former boss @Michnjiru the current Director of Customer Experience at KCB Bank, introduced me to Top of Mind Awareness [TOMA]. A simple but powerful reminder that whatever projects you run, whatever initiatives you introduce or operationalize, there must be at least one [1] or two [2] every single year that must be significant and impactful to the point that it gives you TOMA and is worth including in your career profile. I still subscribe to that todate.

3. Deliberately work on identifying and cultivating your relevant transferrable skills. This will help transition in the event of depression in a specific sector or with the necessary lateral industry moves that allow for growth trajectories. I now have solid Brand Marketing skills, PR & Communication skills in addition to my Customer Experience foundational skills. In the next couple of years, I plan to learn about Citizenship & Sustainability affairs.

4. What do you consider to be some of your significant achievements in your career journey, and what are the events around them?

My recent major achievements are: 1. My role in transforming HELB Communication and Customer Experience worthy of awards as follows: • Best in Reputation & Crisis Management [PRSK Awards, 2019] • Digital Brand of the Year for the #TwendeTulipeHELB Campaign [Digital Media Awards, 2019] • Best Communication Strategy [Institute of Customer Experience Kenya - Customer Service Week Awards, 2016 & 2017] • Best Brand in the Public Sector [Social Media Awards - SOMA, 2016].

2. Participation in Committees and Panels such as • A judge in the 2018 and 2019 Zuri Awards

• Member of the 2020 Integrated Marketing Committee for the Kenya Export Promotion & Branding Council

• Most recently as a member of the PRSK Crisis Communication Committee

5. As a woman in senior management where your contribution makes a difference in decision making, what does this role mean for you, especially for other women and younger girls watching you?

When I look back at my career, I have had a balance of both male and female bosses. Some of whom were instrumental in shaping my view of work and what it takes to succeed.

• At the beginning of my career, the focus was to understand what was expected of me, go above and beyond and execute with military precision. As I got into management at the age of 26, I had to begin to transition towards fostering winning teams. The balance between team performance management and motivation is crucial because only then would I be able to grow in my career.

• As I got into senior management in my mid 30’s, the focus moved from operational to strategic outlook while still ensuring that the approved strategy is operationalized through the team that I lead. Therefore, even in a Communication & Customer Experience role, I must be able to speak the language of business at senior management and board meetings and add tangible value in the achievement of organizational goals and targets.

6. If you were to choose two values that are most important to you that you live by and that shape the way you work and live, what would they be and why?

Integrity and tenacity

When I told my dad that I would be joining public service, he sat me down and gave me some advice about having retired as a senior civil servant. He reminded me not to be greedy, to always be grateful for what I got remunerated and serve with integrity as this would give me peace of mind even when temptations or false accusations came my way.

Tenacity is defined as “persistent determination.” As a tenacious person, I commit to three things:

• I take personal responsibility for my success and will put in the effort required to succeed.

• I set stretch goals, and then do whatever it takes to achieve them.

• In life, I appreciate that stuff happens and I acknowledge that I will encounter problems and setbacks along the way.

7. Out of curiosity, we asked, what are you known for being great at? How do others describe you?

Professionally, I am known for my leadership, organizational and execution skills as well as fostering winning teams. I am a big believer in giving audiences the right information in a clear and timely manner. I am also inclined to seek solutions to move forward in positive ways.

I am especially keen to provide as best a working environment as I can for my teams, and that is why I championed for mother’s rooms at HELB in 2018 to allow for lactating mothers to express, safely store their milk and remain productive at work. My friends and family will tell you that I am fun, loyal and dependable.

Reviving the tourism sector through the MKSE programme

By John Mutana

The Magical Kenya Signature Experiences (MKSE) a programme that recognizes outfits that offer the best safari and tour experiences wasn’t able to hold an event last year owing to the disruptions resulting from the global Covid-19 pandemic.

The MKSE is a strategy able to aid in reviving the tourism sector, “MKSE is part of our strategy to revive tourism in Kenya through partnership with the private sector”. national park for five or six hours looking for a lion or elephants. People want more, because the clientele does not have more time, they want to actually send the story home,” Tourism Cabinet Secretary, Najib Balala

For Kenyan tourism sector to bounce back stronger, tour firms need to look beyond the sandy white beaches at the Coast and safaris in the country and rethink their business models.

The Tour firms need to orient the travel planning towards creating wonderful experiences “It is the experience, it is not just about the bed in the hotel, it is not just about going and seeing a lion or cruising a The tourism private sector players have collaborated with the government to revive the sector which suffered a flop last year due to the pandemic, the Ministry is banking on recognition of top industry performers and private-public partnerships. Tourism Cabinet Secretary, Najib Balala says although the past one year has been difficult for tourism, he is optimistic that the industry will soon bounce back, “a lot has been going behind the scenes to ensure Kenya comes back stronger”, the CS said.

So far, the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed 103,332 Covid-19 positive cases and 1,801 deaths in Kenya. The Magical Kenya Signature Experiences MKSE programme began this journey in 2019 with a goal to grow and diversify Kenyan products and services to ensure they are above other destinations and to offer an outstanding experience that suit today’s demanding traveller. The MKSE programme is a key milestone in Kenya’s tourism transformation”.

To participate in the programme, tour operators are required to take a prequalification quiz that comprises of 10 questions, fill an application form after which they are subjected to an audit and those that meet the requirements are added to the MKSE collection. So far, more than 44 signature experience collections have been selected the ministry of Tourism in conjunction with the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB).

The Kenya Tourism Board Chief Officer, Betty Raider says the newly recognized operators would have their products and experiences marketed locally and internationally through exhibitions, FAM trips, collaborative initiatives, and extra training. “Through this collection, we are able to show the world that Kenya has a lot more to offer beyond the iconic wildlife safari and the pristine sandy beaches for both repeat and first-time visitors”, Raider said.

To ensure the Tourism sector is stronger during this period of post corona, Tourism sector players must match the expectations of the industry. Ms Raider urges players in the sector to be wary of emerging trends and incorporate them in their business strategies. These trends include outdoor experience to connect with nature, slow travel, search for authentic and immersive local travel experiences and the need to leave a positive impact in the destinations they visit.

All Tourism firms are encouraged to participate in the subsequent MKSE recruitment drives to revive the sector which is key for Kenya’s economic growth.

Breaking down data in PR

By Mercy Kendi Mbwiria

When the Internet Of Things (IOT) was first introduced, many people thought it to be just another dynamic that was hard to grasp for those of advanced ages, a time wasting vice for the young or a magical do-it-all tool for those who knew how to harness its power. Years later, the internet and its by-products have become synonymous with the human dynamic and this is especially true for PR practitioners.

Social media has become an integral part of modern day communication technologies gradually surpassing mainstream media. With powerful monitoring and online intelligence tools, filtering and analyzing large sets of data, i.e. “big data,” is seen as the future of public relations. It is also seen as a tactical tool in social listening used to monitor online conversations. However, using the information to create actionable insights has been a challenge for communication professionals. As the distinction between Public Relations and Marketing continues to diminish, responsibility lies heavily on the PR practitioner to prove their worth and provide the desired results.

Data Analytics

Public Relations and Corporate Communication practitioners today are tasked with, among other things, brand creation, managing reputations online, monitoring and evaluation, digital communication, marketing, measurement of PR campaigns etc. Most of these professionals are achieving their communication objectives using new tech tools in one occasion or the other.

One of the biggest predicaments in today’s data technology is the usefulness of the data found online and the conclusions drawn from this data. Most importantly, professionals struggle to understand how to make the most out of data analytics. What patterns does this data reveal about customer preference, consumer behaviour and the brand perception as a whole? To use this data to inform decisions and create a competitive advantage for them and their clients.

In PR, while paid media data tells us how strong our competition for mindshare is, search data tells us how our stories are found, social media data tells us how people share our news, and what they say about us, with Big News Data We could use predictive systems like IBM Watson or Google Predict to understand the cyclicality of the news cycle. Where we can truly shine as Big Data-enabled PR professionals is blending large datasets together (Penn. C 2016). Through data analytics we can infer when specific types of stories perform best, determine how quickly, and by what vectors, news spreads most.

Because information (aka data) is at the core of any good PR strategy or campaign, PR pros are generally experts in monitoring and influencing public opinion. But the job is getting harder every day. This means that many public relations professionals are handling multiterabyte data sets on a daily basis. Each day, the news media creates terabytes of data, from stories to video. Most PR professionals use a media monitoring system like Sysomos MAP to scan for coverage and reduce Big Data (all the news) to Small Data (easy to understand spreadsheets, emails, etc.)

Big Data opportunities abound for techsavvy PR professionals and agencies to help practitioners work faster, create better results, and deliver greater business impact. Across the continent, both homegrown businesses and multinational

Globally, machine-to-machine technology is producing more data than human intervention. In Africa such data is sometimes hard to come by since most companies haven’t fully automated their processes. Even those companies that are producing machine-readable data are not using the data effectively.

Real-time Results

The significant benefits that big data analytics brings to the table, however, are speed and efficiency. Whereas a few years ago a business would have gathered information, run analytics and unearthed information that could be used for future decisions, today that business can identify insights for immediate decisions. The ability to work faster – and stay agile – gives organisations a competitive edge that they didn’t have before.

However, the concept of big data has been around for years. It was earlier on referred to as Business Intelligence.

With the aid of Big data analytics software such as Shared Content and Link Evaluation (SCALE), PR professionals can examine a client’s entire website at once to determine what PR exercises are taking off, what will bring them value, and how their content helps advance their customer journey. The resulting predictive analytics can help PR practitioners create hypotheses for testing which social networks and media outlets will deliver the largest and most effective sharing of their content.

The biggest opportunities for public relations involve moving past traditional communications approaches to create better objectives and more-strategic positioning and audience targeting, and to uncover more opportunities to quantify and enhance public relations’ contribution to business success even predicting which combinations of markets, timing, assets and tactics will yield the best outcome.

Becoming future ready

By Zipporah Wangui,

Investing means so many things to so many people, for some it’s putting in money to achieve profit, for others it means investing life skills or health. investment is time and during that time the returns grow. This in turn shields your future financially. Investments offer financial support for your future in case of any financial crisis.

Investing is how you take charge of your financial stability. It gives you a sense of belonging and purpose. It fuels your life goals and eventually your financial goals. Investing is the act of allocating resources, usually money, with the expectation of generating an income or profit. It means committing funds to different types of assets with the expectation that you will generate a gain or profit in the future.

Here are some key reasons why you should invest.:-

Reduces Your Tax Obligation

Investing in tax-free investments reduces your taxable income. Investments such as infrastructure treasury bonds, HOSP, fixed deposits in post bank (Kenya Post Office Savings Bank Act Cap 493B). The interest earned from the 3 options is tax-free.

Future- Ready

One of the perks of investing is the fact that you get to grow your fortune over time. One of the key growth drivers of any

Reaching Your Life Goals

Whether your goal is to send your kids to college debt-free or to retire at 35, your life goals fuel your desire to invest. Investing can guide you towards financial freedom in a seamless transition.

Beating the Inflation Rate

Placing your money in investment vehicles, such as stocks and mutual funds, introduces an element of risk, you stand a better chance of outpacing the inflation rate throughout years.

Wealth Creation

Wealth creation is ultimately the process of creating and building a stable source of sustenance so that one would not have to struggle to make ends meets. It’s the self-actualization level of the financial need’s hierarchy. For instance, owning real estate is a popular choice.

The writer is the Founder & Financial Writer at Zed The Financialist

KDF: A showcase on effective communication in the 21st Century

Use of storytelling is variously cited as an effective avenue for connecting and winning the trust of audiences. It is delivered in various forms including audio-visual media, print outputs, digital channels including websites and social media platforms and, of course, good old dramatised skits.

The Kenya Police Band leading a procession during the International AntiCorruption Day, 2020 in Kiambu County

By Alfred Ng’ang’a

A few decades ago while growing up within the environs of military barracks’ in Nanyuki town, I remember my deep admiration of the disciplined forces. The military formations in Nanyuki— the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), the Army and Airforce as well as the British Army training units—all have a special place in the hearts of the Nanyuki folk and beyond.

Many of my schoolmates, now in their 40s will recall our first visit to Nairobi City aboard a military Buffalo plane with brimming nostalgia. The free rides were among the activities that took place during the much-loved air force days at the Laikipia Airbase. Of course, the visit to Nairobi would be aerial only as we never got to land. That, however, didn’t blunt the fun since the officers on board would proudly point out to us such features as Mt. Kenya, the majestic KICC and Uhuru Park grounds before turning and heading back to our beloved Nanyuki.

Memories of my yesteryear encounter with the Kenya Defence Forces crept back this week as I pondered on how this important institution has come of age over the years. In particular, I am impressed by the efforts KDF has made to make their communications more effective and responsive to their target audiences. As a Corporate Communications practitioner, I am genuinely awed by the evolution of KDF from the closed institution it was in the 80s and 90s to what it has gradually metamorphosed into.

The KDF we knew back then had hardly entertained public engagement. Indeed, we viewed it as a stiff-necked institution averse to opening up to the public. Save for the Airforce Days that somehow ended in the mid-90s, community engagements weren’t publicised or highlighted as openly as they are currently.

Power of Story-telling

Today, a keen communications practitioner will easily note that KDF is one of the most active public institutions even on Twitter and Facebook with constant updates. In coming days, it will auger well with KDF’s image building if the men in uniform allow media interviews to be part of their public communications menu. KDF has just commenced its national recruitment exercise, and this time around, the public engagements feature the contemporary storytelling approach in Corporate Communications. Storytelling is a crucial pillar, particularly in Development and Brand communications. It helps the audience relate to information shared.

On their YouTube page, KDF has this exciting Video documentary titled “A KDF Soldier”. The clip tells a relatable story on the current recruitment exercise. Yes, KDF has one of the most informative YouTube channels with professionally produced documentaries, but I digress. Coming back to the recruitment documentary, KDF has done a good storytelling job taking the audiences through the steps that recruits go through once picked for training. For those of us who grew up enjoying Police Academy VHS (Video Home System) videos, this one evokes memories but refreshes the pride of KDF’s training and professional practices.

With this one video, one appreciates the academic and related depth of KDF training with the Commandant and instructors’ teams explaining various phenomena including career development, marksmanship, drill and duty, fieldcraft and physical fitness lessons all which the recruits undertake to become professional soldiers. Alongside KDF, organisations such as Safaricom with their newsroom content channel and the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) who have recently introduced a Podcast channel (alongside Nation Media Group) are just some early adopters for this contemporary form of communication. At the global stage, the World Health Organisation (WHO) under its Communicating for Health Strategic Framework for Effective Communications identifies storytelling as a critical pillar that enhances the comprehension and retention of crucial messages. Clearly storytelling is an effective messaging tool.

By applying real health-related stories that bring a human face to health needs, telling how WHO protects the health of its target audiences while inspiring people with success stories. That way, audiences easily identify with the organisation. Further, showcasing decision-makers who have first-hand testimony of the health gains they have reaped as a result of WHO’s advice, this global health organisation’s corporate communications goals are easily understandable.

Learning from the WHO framework, storytelling needs to encompass the use of familiar and understandable languages (including sheng’ where necessary) and audio-visual tools that present information with illustrations, images, infographics and videos. For local organisations right across the entire spectrum of sectors they serve, the time to adopt modern communication approaches such as storytelling and infographics is now.

Develop and retain talent to manage expectations

By Martha Phoebe Hilda

In act II of Shakespeare’s “The merry Wives of Windsor” play, a character Falstaff says I will not lend thee a penny, to which Pistol replied “Why, then, the world is mine oyster, which I with sword will open.”

It should be pleasing to note then, that public relations is an oyster which even young people can open without a sword!

Content creation

Young professionals in public relations have a place in content creation. Most young people can create content to educate, to entertain and to promote art in the society. These young professionals are creative and innovative with the required skills to make our society better. By prioritizing content creation, PR teams can broadly respond to two related pressures on their operations, that is; the desire from their clients and firms and the demand from prospective audiences for easily accessible content and videos especially on the internet.

Event planning

Young public relations professionals can engage in successful event planning, and with the right planning skills, can make any event lively and successful. Events that touch on various relevant themes that act as awareness creation points have become all the rage and can be a market that budding event planners can tap in to. Identifying a first client as a young PR professional can be a daunting task at times, since most clients would prefer a more experienced planner. Regardless, young people need to keep reaching forward, keep in mind that that no matter the age or experience level, if one has the dedication to develop event planning skills from a basic to advanced level, then they have the potential to excel.

Social media managers

Young people are taking up more and more communication technician positions in the public relations profession. Many young people have their personal blogs, engaging in content creation and are becoming more and more active in the passage of information through communication that is targeted at various publics. Information that is vital for the growth of any society and young people have the energy and creative know-how to collect and disseminate information. Digital and social media platforms are thriving due to the influx of young professionals focused on content creation. Most businesses, news and events are conducted and hyped via social media. The youth of this generation have the information and are constantly adapting to new technology that is fundamental in running various activities targeted at social media traction.

In conclusion, the young professionals in the public relations profession are energetic, flexible, and have the ability to collect information through which they can foster relationships. They are motivated, keen to succeed and have the potential to become highly influential and creative members of any public relations team.

The key to developing and retaining this talent will be in managing their expectations over the pace of their career development, whilst providing them clear growth markers and training along the way.

The shifting landscape of Public Relations

By Ms Imbiti Laureen

Since the emergence of public relations back in 1900 and the official practice of public relations beginning in earnest in the year 1920, there have been numerous variations in both the career opportunities and the practise. Some of the changes are due to technological advancements while others have been necessitated by demand for relevant strategies and still others have been due to the changes taking place in the dynamic media landscape.

The following are some of the duties and responsibilities that will be expected of public relations practitioners going forward. • Social media management • Content marketing • Trendspotting • Branding

Despite all the changes the practice of public relations has maintained its focus on shareholders, investors, business partners, stakeholders and customers.

Social Media Management

In the 21st century almost everyone is a member of at least one social media platform. People depend on social media for different reasons such as new ideas, information and education. Still others use the platforms to carry out research on the best places, hotels or activities to engage in during their leisure time. These platforms include but are not limited to; Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. The introduction of LinkedIn has seen quite a number of people creating accounts even those who felt that they were social media averse. This is due to the fact that it is a professional networking site, designed to assist people nurture their business connections, share professional experiences, resumes and eventually and up securing employment.

The following are practical examples of how to use the existing social media platforms to achieve the goals of an organisation as a public relations practitioner;

Facebook: the Platform is convenient for companies and organisations that are very engaging and conversational. The platform has Messenger and a call-to-action on all adverts placed by organisations. One has to ensure that they have call-to-action buttons, mentions, engagements and full control of negative User Generated Content (USC).The platforms allows one to create profiles or pages, share content and advertise their services and products.

LinkedIn: This is a great platform to connect with influencers and professionals. The platform creates a customized user experience and provides suggestions on who to follow, what content to read and how to perfectly build a career depending on the organisation’s profile. Organisations can utilise this platform by posting short videos, job opportunities and links to blogs that target specific audiences or potential employees.

Twitter: The platform is become the preferred mode of choice when it comes to sending quick messages about launches, activities promotions and any other updates about the organisation. Twitter hashtags have proven to be effective in learning public opinions. As a PR practitioner one should ensure they adhere to the platform’s restrictions through the appropriate use of their accounts to avoid suspensions.

Instagram: Organisations can gain mileage on this platform through engagements, the use of short quality videos and photos. The platform can be perfectly utilised by organisations whose target audience are millennials. Instagram Live has become a popular means of engaging with professionals and influencers.

YouTube: The creation of YouTube channels by organisations have been vital in strategic positioning to the Publics. This platform is mainly utilised by institutions dealing with advanced activities and is more affordable as compared to conventional mainstream media adverts. The channel gives organizations an opportunity to engage with their followers through the comment section.

There are also have other social media platforms such as Snapchat, Pinterest and Tik Tok where organisations can seek massive followers interested in their products and services. Most if not all social media platforms provide organizations or brands with the opportunity to engage either one on one or via the comment section which is advantageous. The public relations officer in charge should ensure they are courteous, kind and mind their tone while attending to customers. The use of visuals and visual materials requires the organisation to employ original, creative and innovative ways of engagement with their various stakeholders.

Content Marketing

According to Content Marketing Institute, content marketing is a platform for uninterrupted marketing where one can communicate with customers and prospects without necessary selling. The main idea is to inform and educate their customers about what the organisation is offering. Content Marketing and creation goes hand in hand, hence one should ensure that the message is; • Tailored to the audience. • Short clear and precise. • Fulfill its purpose. • Entertaining and educative.

All this should be supplemented with other things such as giveaways, celebrity endorsements, and sponsorship programmes.

Trendspotting

According to Investopedia, ‘Trends can be both upwards and downwards relating to bulling and bearish markets respectively’. Trends have no specified time and period. They can be classified into 3 short time, intermediate and long term trends. Trendspotting thus can be defined as the identification and understanding of the reason behind a trend. A public relations practitioner should ensure they are upto-date with new innovations and events happening in their industry or anything related to what they are involved in. The trends can be found in current activities, technological advancements and music, hence as the public relations officer in charge one should ensure they are always in the know, understand how to use the trend to maximize the value of the organisation and the platforms on which the trend is more popular.

BRANDING

Branding is defined as a marketing practise in which a company creates a name, symbol, or design that is easily identifiable and distinguishable from other products and services. A brand should be so simple that upon seeing the symbol or logo, name or design one can easily relate with the company. Branding has its own advantages such as generating new customers, improving business value and employee pride, and lastly creation of trust amongst its clients. Public relations practitioners can ensure that they push their brands through various activities such as peer campaigns, promotions, new product launches, celebrity endorsement and slogans. The products and services should be of good quality to gain reviews and references by loyal customers to attract potential customers/clients/ stakeholders.

PRSK at vintage position to champion for inter-professional pacts

By Mutethia wa Mberia

There are currently over 27 professional bodies listed by the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA). These bodies have dichotomised variance in legal status, corporate history, professional focus, membership pool and even scope of influence.

Over time, there has been a tiff pitting professional bodies against external quality assurance agencies; internal governance and administrative conflicts amongst themselves and undesirable additional characteristics that offend corporate governance foundations. In essence, professional bodies should manage professional practice in their respective professions. With professional breadth expanded courtesy of emerging classification, de-classification and reclassification as witnessed in various courses on offer by higher education institutions, it therefore, follows that the professional bodies have to work collaboratively. (PRSK), being a well-managed outfit with considerable corporate repute can cut a niche for itself for advocating for inter-professional bodies’ partnerships. Similarities with comparable professional bodies notwithstanding, there are a myriad of opportunities for collaboration that can be tapped to the advantage of the practitioners professing allegiance to various bodies. Areas such as comentorship of budding professionals; trainings; joint research initiatives; grants are mentions of the key thematic areas possible for exploration.

In progressive jurisdictions, unison of professional bodies is a force to reckon with. Indeed, in firmly advocating for practitioners to conclusively protect practitioners’ rights including financial compensation; recognition of practice; co- accreditation with external quality assurance agencies; periodic issuance of professional status reports and positional statements on a raft of public interests; proposing defining reforms in joint or separate professional practice are some gains to be drawn from such a collegiate approach.

Professionals being the human capital in these professional bodies, buttressed by strategic hindsight of entrusted governance organs, must heed to this clarion call. Unnecessary disciplinary disparage amongst practitioners only clogs the progress of individuals and professional bodies’ institutions.

To set the ball rolling, grounded studies must be established to structurally flesh out some of the gaps that might have been experienced in joint attempts; grid locks of intra/inter professional cohesion. This will be important for a pragmatic approach to eradicate professional mistrust, discord and disconnect sometimes witnessed in the operations of professional bodies. It is in the building of professional bodies’ institutions that they will be sustained and future generations will therefore be successfully groomed and guarded.

Staying immune to inflation

By John Juma

If you were to pick a year when your financial stability was shaken, I bet 2020 would be that year. However, with the uncertainty came the lesson to be more vigilant in tracking your finances. Until today, many have depleted their emergency funds and are wondering how they will stay afloat in the coming days. You could identify this catastrophe as a blessing in disguise because the importance of investments has never been more vivid.

When you put money in potential ground for it to add value in the long run, you are investing. Despite Kenya’s economy taking a big hit last year, there is still an opportunity to invest in your assets and safeguard your future. Depending on your financial status, you can either invest in your side hustle, real estate, treasury bills, investment bonds or in the stock market. It may be painfully slow at first, but the rewards are worth the wait.

Why Should You Invest? 1. The returns are bountiful!

Imagine the excitement upon realizing that your investment has borne up to 50 percent in returns! This will be worth patting yourself on the back at the end of the year. Whether you choose to invest in your business or in stocks, you are bound to receive a considerable amount of interest within the stipulated time. Today, millions of entrepreneurs are involved in investment funds such as money market fund, equity, balanced fund just to mention a few. Most people’s interests lie in the money market fund, which is short term and safe enough as the risks taken are lower. With time, you can progress to equity fund where there is capital gain, or balanced fund. Be sure to keep a closer look at the fund managers, ensuring that they are licensed and their custodians approved, because you don’t want whatever you’re laying aside to go down the drain. As long as the eligibility of the company you are investing in is guaranteed, get ready to enjoy generous returns in a little while.

2. Guaranteed Financial Security

You invest in the hope that you will soon attain financial control, but you cannot ignore the very first steps of this journey. Ensure you have an emergency fund where you save at least 10 percent of the money you want to invest with. This is crucial especially in these unprecedented times when crises loom daily. In the event that another pandemic strikes, you won’t have to dig into your investments to survive as your savings will sustain you. Once settled, don’t be too greedy, setting sights on the highest interest-giving companies alone, because you don’t know their consistency story. This concept is well said in an interview by George Mangs, Codirector at Market Cap Trainers company, “If 10 percent interest is going to give me a sleepless night and yet 7 percent will give me a goodnight’ sleep, then I’ll go for 7 percent.” he opined.

3. Keep your latter days brighter

Did your parent mention to you while still in school that you were their prime investment? Would you also wait for your children’s first salaries as your first returns? Supposing they turn their backs on you, where will you run to? Morning comes, whether you set your alarm or not, so you’ve got to think about your future financial supply beforehand. If you are thinking about that pension scheme, let that be an afterthought as they are prone to delays too. In order to project your distant future with ease, consider real estate. Despite the financial implications on you as you start, bear in mind that the returns in form of rent will carry you well into your retirement years.

4. Stay immune to inflation

The Kenyan economy is unpredictable, and you definitely won’t allow your money to stay in a place where its value is diminishing, leave alone the threat of stagnation. With the general increase in prices and fall in the purchasing value of money, those without any form of investments are likely to suffer. The reality is that Kenya is bearing an inflation rate of approximately 5 percent compared to the previous year. This is no good news if you are totally dependent on your primary income, hence the need to step up and take caution of your assets.

As long as you are earning regularly, investing should be a critical part of your financial agenda. To begin, create a network of accomplished investors who might bear a different perspective of your investment plan, just to stay on track. And there you have it; this is what the future holds!

Time for young professionals to stand out

By Keith Njiru

Undoubtedly, the Public Relations space has taken root in the globe, as more organisations begin to realise the value that PR brings to the table. A key catalyst to this transformation are young professionals, who come on board to institutions, some fresh out of campus, others joining from related disciplines. Their role in the communications industry cannot be understated and we will explore the various ways they can tap into this.

One of the most crucial ways that young professionals can occupy the PR space is by leveraging on their digital skills to effectively implement them across the various institutions they work in. It is no secret that young people are very techsavvy, always keeping up to date with the latest online technologies. This can be applied to organisations in various ways- for example ensuring that their organisation is visible across the latest social media platforms and that their websites are optimized to best suit their audiences’ needs. Tik-Tok as an example gained prominence last year at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when people turned to it as a way of relaxing and dealing with the emotional stress of the pandemic. Increasingly, more and more organisations are exploring ways of having a presence on Tik Tok. This is not to say that leading an organisation towards new emerging technologies should be a preserve of the young people only. However, given that they are the ones who more frequently interact within these spaces, then at the very least they have an upper hand in leading the charge on this. This year, the talk of town seems to be an invite-only app known as Clubhouse. Clubhouse is an audio-chat social networking app that allows users to listen to conversations and discussions on various topics. The app promises to be available to the public soon and it would be interesting to watch the space and see how companies will utilize it to their advantage. membership of professional bodies. For the PR profession in Kenya, the Public Relations Society of Kenya (PRSK) is the go-to body for professionals in the communications space seeking to grow in their career. Young professionals have an immense role not just in more sign-ups to the body but also challenging themselves to be more active within these bodies. This transcends to other partner bodies that work closely with PRSK such as the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and the Marketing Society of Kenya (MSK). Active membership in these bodies will help transform the perspectives that may be instilled in such organisations and sync them with the current realities especially on the digital fronts. The direction that a professional body takes ultimately shapes the course of how the profession pans out.

Mentorship is another fundamental element which young people can bring to the PR table. Given that young professionals have been equipped with the tools of trade in the industry, it is now incumbent upon them to mould the future professionals (PR students) as well as their industry peers. By establishing linkages in the industry, young professionals can spur the growth of communications, because with these networks they can share what they have learnt from the ‘real world’ vis-à-vis the theoretical knowledge they have. This will be key to undergraduate communications students as it will provide them with a glimpse of the realities of the PR world. Establishment of these mutually beneficial exchanges can even go beyond national borders and can be enriched further by sharing experiences across different sectors (NGOs, corporate, government, FMCG, etc).

Ultimately, the public relations field is an evolving one with abundant potential that is still untapped. Young professionals in the field are capable of making great strides and progressively setting steps in taking greater ownership of the PR space and bringing about transformative change in the industry.

Disruption and transformation

By Teresa Jeremiah

“The only thing that is constant is change.”

When Heraclitus uttered these words many years ago, perhaps he had no idea they would form the basis of life in today’s era. With the rapid technological changes, highly competitive business environment and pressure for businesses to adopt and adapt to novelties to remain relevant and beat competition, change has become inevitable. Digital evolution has transformed the way industries conduct business and a paradigm shift from traditional ways of business operations to digitalized ones has been witnessed. Public relations has not been exempt from this transformation, hence the shifting PR landscape. In fact, one can argue that although the fundamentals of PR have stood the test of time, the practice has taken a new direction.

As the industry continues to evolve, the role of public relations professionals and the behaviour and expectations of audiences have changed along with it. Technology has created new platforms, new ways of conducting business and offered customers powerful avenues to directly respond to brands. As a result, the role of PR professionals has diversified from creating and pitching stories to digital PR allowing them to disseminate information in real-time and engage in actual conversations with audiences. Further, the constant technological changes have re-shaped almost every aspect of communication forcing PR specialists to adjust and restructure their strategies to engage their audiences in ways that successfully integrate with new media.

New media has essentially transformed the way we communicate, when we communicate, where we communicate and who we communicate with. Consequently, businesses have digitized their services and products compelling PR professionals to implement new tactics that are customer-centric to their presence on social platforms. To effectively address the changing customer information consumption habits, communicators are now engaging with customers online to resolve issues in a timely manner before they become a crisis. Gone are the days when communication was a one-way model, customers have become more cautious and they can detect inconsistencies in what brands say and what they do and possibly ‘call out’ companies that do not deliver what they promise. In other words, it is now difficult to win over such audiences and turn them into loyal customers by employing traditional PR practices, a reason as to why the PR landscape has and will continue to evolve in order to meet the expectations of the demanding publics.

Lastly, while the practise of PR has undergone immense transformation over the years, it should be noted that its main aim is to build and nurture relationships remains intact. Arguably, it is the constant restructuring and adoption of new approaches to effectively execute PR functions in the digital era that has given rise to the current disruptions in the practice. While traditional PR practises still exist, they are gradually being replaced by digital formats. That being said, the digital evolution will continue to shape the future of the ever-changing field of public relations and undeniably expand the role of the PR specialist tremendously in the years to come.

Effective crisis management and brand reputation

By Ruth Githaiga

Communications Authority fines Homeboyz radio Sh1m, suspends show for six months

In today’s digital world where technology advancement and connectivity is high, managing crisis and reputation has significantly changed. Organisations and professional communicators can no longer continue relying on the traditional ways of managing organisational crisis and brand reputation. In the modern age, in less than just five minutes, organisation reputation can go from riding high to an all-time low. Therefore, to effectively manage crisis and reputation speed and a solid strategy are important to respond to a crisis and manage reputation.

A crisis usually doesn’t give a warning before it emerges. It is not predicable and occurs anytime, anywhere leaving little or no time to prepare and react. Furthermore, crisis situations hit even the most reputable organisations, brands or personalities. To respond in the best possible way, an organisation must be able to effectively engage its audience within the shortest time possible once a crisis occurs. If it’s used effectively, the company can move swiftly and quickly to provide assurance to its existing customers while building their reputation in a way that impresses prospective clients. In the modern age organisations have no longer have the luxury of rushing to power on laptops or finding the old binder that has the printed protocol. Therefore, organisation leaders and communicators must be prepared to react in this 24/7 world on a dime to decrease the negative impact and help contain the crisis and their reputation as faster as they can.

Safeguarding brand image

A positive organisation, or brand reputation is more important today in a world dominated by digital communication. The digital age that is now considered the norm brings with it many risks to organisation reputation. With the rise of social networks, it is easier than ever for organisation to attract negative publicity. An ill-timed or unintentionally misguided tweet, or a send to all response there, has the potential to ruin a reputation. And it is becoming increasingly difficult to fully erase these events from memory once they are in the public domain. So, how should organisations prepare for effective crisis and brand reputation in the modern age?

• Authenticity

Management should be genuine in regards to communication and should demonstrate a human touch in every interaction. This is more than acting with or expressing empathy. Crises are emotionally charged events that require a dose of humanity.

• Transparency

In the modern age, organisations have to assume that everything is eventually discoverable. The vacuum will be filled either by facts or by speculation. Smart organisations recognize this and strive to be as transparent as possible.

• Speed

Since the information vacuum gets filled so quickly, organisations must be prepared to respond quickly and promptly. This compressed operating environment demands that organisations have digital content prepared well in advance. And not just standby statements, either.

• Agility

In the modern age, there are sophisticated listening technologies that allow measuring online conversations about a brand in nearly real-time. That means organisations can be more precise in their first response, and can course-correct based on the reactions they are witnessing in the moment.

• Creativity

In the digital era organisations have to assume that they are competing with every form of media to tell their story, including those camera phones held by ‘citizen journalists’. Audiences are going to seek wherever they get the most authentic, timely, and rich content to help them understand the crisis. So, if an organisation is putting out dense legal statements and press releases and the antagonists are sharing videos and other forms of rich content, it’s obvious to predict whose voice will win the day. Audiences tend to be attracted by captivating, juicy and topical issues. Digital and social media have clearly changed the game. It’s creativity to win attention, to engage, and to persuade.

• Honesty

When an organisation owns up to bad service, show contrition for mistakes and demonstrate that they are instituting the appropriate solutions in place. Then most audiences will be prepared to give them a second chance. That is a much better way of cultivating a reputation that the audience can trust.

Establish Crisis Plan

In addition to the above, the entity should ensure that they have the right team to handle any emerging crisis situations. The aim is to make sure each person has a clear understanding of his/her role and responsibilities so that when it’s go time, everyone knows exactly what to do. Have a practical Crisis Plan. In the modern era, a comprehensive crisis plan should have all company policies, leading practices, sample scenarios and arguably most important, a social media plan.

Finally, the organisation should ensure that it maintains full charge of the situation. It should guarantee that it remains ‘in front of the story’ and shouldn’t allow the ‘story get ahead of organisation’. Failure to swiftly respond to crisis situations and making informed decisions defeats the purpose of the proactive strategy that the organisation originally spent time to establish and means that the organisation is simply being reactive instead of steering the narrative. Every entity, public or private, is vulnerable to crises and strategic communication strategies are essential to effectively deal with the pre-crisis, during crisis and post-crisis phases.

Mentoring leadership persuasively

By Ali Hassan Idow

Creating a life of purpose for yourself requires great investment in improving every area of your life. Doing what we love is considered that great step to improving our life and the kind of energy and time we apply in achieving this tells about the intention to wanting a quality life. We come across different people and our interaction has an impact in the kind of life we creating for ourselves. Spending time alone is seen as an effective method of personal growth and development. This is based on the fact that ‘meeting yourself’ enables you to clearly identify your purpose in life. As we give energy and time to other people, we tend to forget the most important person to get the most of it; YOU. “Give time and energy to that which you want more in your life. Invest in yourself for a higher quality of life. You’re worth it.” - Akiroq Brost.

Meeting Yourself

The best meeting you can have is “meeting with self”. There is the greatest power in personal meeting and conversations. It is a psychological process called introspection where the individual conducts an examination or observation of one’s own mental and emotional processes.

According to Zala Bricelj, “this is when you mindfully take and schedule time for yourself. It is about the combination of training your brain to learn new behaviors and consistency of your actions.” This is the best time to check in with ourselves, an opportunity to listen to our mind – the silence helps us to focus on our body and mind and also listen to what it needs.

Meeting with yourself is significant since it helps us to prioritize and focus on the most important things in our lives. It is an opportune time to refuel and refocus on our life and career goals. Ever heard of “if you see me talking to myself, I am having a staff meeting”? Use this time to talk to yourself as this will improve and nurture your mind and thoughts for your overall well-being. After all, it is said that understanding yourself is the beginning of life’s wisdom.

If you don’t make time for your wellness, you will be forced to make time for your illness. The best wise decision you can make is meeting yourself daily and this is considered the best possible investment of your time.

Embracing communication within water service providers in Kenya

By Eldah Odongo

Most water utilities came into operation after the enactment of the Water Act, 2002 (currently revised), which paved way to reforms in the water sector. This also enabled the formation of Water Service Providers (WSPs) which are basically limited companies that were initially owned by the now defunct Municipal Councils; but which after the introduction of a devolved system of government, are now run by the County Governments.

These WSPs were formed from the then Department of Water in the Municipal Councils with their mandate being provision of water and sewerage services in their areas of jurisdiction. Given that the WSP’s were formed from the Municipal councils, had its share of advantages and disadvantages as well. The main advantage was that they were not entirely starting from scratch in terms of operations and structure. They however continued with normal daily operations as they did in the past which involved billing, collection, treatment of water, unblocking sewer networks and minor extension works etc. But on the flipside, they were also evolving to the new companies with the same organisational culture that they had in the municipal council

Organisational Culture

If you are a Kenyan and you hear the phrase, ‘watu wa Kanjo’ (council workers), you will understand what I mean, since I’m sure that the title is not associated with excellence. In Kisumu, for example, the water pipelines were laid in the 1960’s meaning that by the year 2002 they were over 30 years old and since maintenance was not well done. This meant that a number of estates lacked clean running water and subsequently, waterborne diseases were the order of the day. The few customers that were being served were not satisfied with services. This is due to the services being tarnished by rude, unresponsive and untrained staff.

New leadership that included the Managing Directors across the country had to devise ways of changing this culture in the employees and also shift the perception of the community and transform the WSP’s to professional and reputable agencies. Today, WSPs are still on this journey but compared to the year 2002, a lot of changes have taken place. The Kisumu Water and Sanitation Company Ltd (KIWASCO) for example, strategically adopted a vision statement that would catapult them to be ‘the most admired service provider’. Similarly, other WSPs in Kenya through Water Services Providers Association (WASPA) have developed and embraced benchmarking forums where all the WSPs showcase what they are doing and others strive to match or pass them. The Water Services Regulatory Board (WASREB) which is the regulatory body also has strengthened the regulation of the WSPs and ranks them annually based on their sizes.

Effective Communication

In order for the WSPs to successfully achieve their objectives, we have identified that effective communication MUST be at the center of the entire process. How do you receive your water bill today? Do you know how to contact your water provider? Do you know where to report any leakages or bursts? How about channeling your complaints?

Nearly all WSPs have made strides as they have not only embraced technology but have continually also phased out the manual processes. A few have gone a step forward and have been ISO certified, enhancing their quality output and weeding out bureaucracy within the system hence ensuring efficient service delivery. KIWASCO for instance, carried out a job evaluation exercise in 2019 through PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC). Prior to this exercise, the company had only one Public Relations Officer who handled all its PR & Communications. This was however converted into a fullyfledged department with the Head of Communications who reports to the Managing Director and sits at high-level company engagements and meetings.

A general overview of WSPs in Kenya, indicates that the entities are now more professional and responsive to the needs of their stakeholders. Today, if you were to conduct a survey on WSPs, I guarantee you that you will realize that they are some of the most sought after institutions to work for. They have indeed embraced effective communication campaigns and strategies resulting in better performing public institutions.

The writer is the Head of Corporate Affairs and Communication at the Kisumu Water and Sanitation Company Limited (KIWASCO).