The government, through the State Department for Broadcasting and Telecommunication and the Directorate of Public Communication, is set to develop guidelines for the management of government Website content to restore confidence in government while reflecting on relevance, consistency and uniformity in all government websites.
The Director, Directorate of Public Communications, Monica Omoro, who spoke at a Machakos hotel while officially opening the three-day stakeholder meeting on Monday, said the development of guidelines would help streamline content creation, publication, and maintenance across all government websites.
She pointed out that while the government uses websites to increase its visibility and disseminate information, the three-day stakeholder engagement by the department on a comprehensive guideline would ensure that the government information is accurate, timely, accessible, and transparent.
“Our goal is to establish a framework that upholds credibility, enhances user experience, and aligns with global best practices in digital governance,” said Omoro.
The Director noted that the development of the guidelines was informed by a lack of uniformity in government websites, content inconsistency through outdated and duplicate information, and inadequate accessibility concerns for People with Disabilities (PWDs).
She emphasised that through the guidelines, the government aims to build public trust through transparency, public engagement, and inclusivity of a user-friendly website that caters to and involves People with Disability (PWDs).
“A standardised, citizen-centred approach will ensure government websites are accessible and coherent, which will encourage public participation and feedback,” said Omoro.
Key objectives for the guidelines are standardisation to develop a unified approach, accountability and reliability that will define clear protocols, security and compliance that will reinforce cybersecurity measures and compliance, and public engagement to foster meaningful interactions between the government and the public.
The use of Swahili and English languages on all websites will also be factored in to ensure government websites are visitor-friendly while catering for Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies including County governments (MDACS), in ensuring their websites conform to internationally recognised practices.
However, she highlighted challenges the Public Communication Officers were facing in MDACs, such as stagnation, lack of enough office space, and budgetary allocation, that have resulted in poor performance over the years.
She noted that while there is an ongoing retooling of Public Communication Officers and their Assistants, acquiring extra space, promotions, and procurement of new technical equipment would help create a productive workspace and boost employee morale.
Consequently, the Director disclosed that the State Department for Broadcasting, through the immediate former PS, Prof. Edward Kisiangani, had requested the National Treasury PS for an allocation of Sh60 million for a recurrent expenditure budget across all MDACs to cater for operations, procurement, and maintenance of equipment and services.
By Anne Kangero
