Govt issues fresh directive to all ministries and agencies ahead of 2027

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Govt issues fresh directive to all ministries and agencies ahead of 2027

The government has directed ministries, departments and agencies to take greater responsibility for communicating their policies, programmes, projects and achievements as the administration enters the final year of its first term.

In a circular dated August 17, 2026, addressed to Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, heads of government agencies and the government spokesperson, Head of Public Service Felix Koskei calls for a more proactive and coordinated approach to government communication.

The circular, titled “Circular on Strengthening Government's Strategic Communication for Improved Public Communication,” acknowledges weaknesses in the government's existing communication machinery, including what it describes as reactive communication, conflicting narratives and gaps in crisis communication.

It states that the current situation, where government communication has remained “largely reactive and sometimes with conflicting narratives,” has contributed to an “erosion of public trust.”

The circular further points to “notable gaps in crisis communication when required,” setting out a broader responsibility for individual government institutions to communicate directly with the public.

Under the new approach, ministries, departments and agencies are expected to take primary responsibility for communicating their respective policies, programmes and projects.

Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and heads of government agencies have been directed to take “full responsibility for proactive, timely and coordinated communications” within their institutions.

The office of the government spokesperson will meanwhile be responsible for amplifying government messaging across different platforms, working from agreed narratives and positions developed with the relevant ministries, departments and agencies.

The directive comes after President William Ruto publicly expressed concern about the government's communication of its record.

Govt officials called out

In remarks earlier this year, President Ruto complained that government officials were not appearing sufficiently in media houses to explain the administration's work.

“The media people keep telling me, Mr. President, your people refuse to come to the media houses,” the Head of State said.

He added that the government was therefore being exposed to what he described as “opposition nonsense, propaganda, fake news and misinformation,” despite having what he called a “credible record that nobody can dispute.”

The new circular places greater responsibility on the officials overseeing individual ministries and agencies to communicate that record.

It also comes less than a year before the August 2027 General Election, bringing the government's communication strategy into a period when public debate over the administration's performance is expected to remain prominent.

The circular itself, however, frames the changes around government communication, public engagement and institutional responsibility.

It calls for government institutions to communicate policies and programmes proactively rather than waiting for issues to generate public attention before responding.

The directive also highlights the need for coordinated communication, with the government spokesperson expected to amplify messaging based on positions agreed with the relevant institutions and their leadership.

Political neutrality

The communication strategy also raises the issue of the political neutrality required of public officers.

Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and other public officers are required to remain politically neutral while performing their official duties.

The Public Service Code of Conduct and Ethics prohibits public officers from acting to further the interests of a political party or candidate or publicly indicating support for or opposition to a political party or candidate.

Reporting originally appeared via Pulse Live Kenya. Read the full source for additional context.