Homa Bay County hosts annual PR summit

By Peter K'Opiyo

The annual Public Relations Society of Kenya (PRSK) summit is underway at the Tom Mboya University, Homa Bay County. 

The summit has brought  together over 1,000 public communication officers, information officers, professionals from the private sector, academia and other development agencies.

Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Margaret Ndung'u  was represented by Media Council of Kenya (MCK) CEO, David Omwoyo.

In her speech read by the MCK boss, the CS stated that the chosen theme for this year's summit elevating PR counsel in a disrupted world had come at the right time.

"This year's theme 'Elevating PR counsel in a Disrupted World' is both timely and thought-provoking. We are living in an era of unprecedented global challenges. Closer to home, national upheavals, including the recent Gen-Z protests, highlights the need for urgent effective government communication," averred Dr. Ndung'u.

The host governor, Gladys Wanga on her part stated that the theme invited all stakeholders to reflect on the critical role that public relations play in driving positive change.

"It is both timely and profound. It invites us to reflect on the critical role that public relations play in navigating complexity, shaping narratives and driving positive change in an era marked by unprecedented disruptions," said the governor.

In efforts to make the PR and communication grow effectively, the CS expressed her optimism that policies her ministry are working on will be a major boost.

"To address gaps within the sector,we established a sectoral working group that informed the development of the Public Relations and Communication Management Bill now in parliament," Dr. Ndung'u disclosed.

She added that it is aimed at upholding high ethical standards and enhancing credibility besides ensuring that only qualified experts operate within the industry spaces.

On the other hand, she recognised technological advancments and changing global trends adding that Kenya will not be left behind. The CS further noted that her ministry and PRSK will work together to ensure more trainings and capacity building. 

"We recognised the importance of equipping Public Communication Officers and Information Officers with the tools to adapt to changing landscape," declared the CS, adding that it would be a critical step in fighting threats posed by misinformation and setbacks of the AI-driven world.

Furthermore, the CS affirmed that her ministry had made the digital superhighway infrastructure a priority because of its significant role in the realization of Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). 

"We will expand these initiatives, further empowering our youth and catalyzing economic growth through e-comerce and improved service delivery.

Governor Wanga disclosed that her government was committed to institutionalizing Public Relations within the government framework to ensure all county departments had dedicated communication experts.

"To my colleagues in government and the PR industry, this summit should serve as a clarion call to rethink on how we approach public relations practise. We must; embrace technology and data driven strategies to remain relevant, foster collaborations across sectors to amplify impact and advocate for policies that strength the role of communication in governance and development." 

The summit which began on December 2, will run until December 6, 2024.

Also present during the opening ceremony of the  summit included Homa Bay Town MP  Peter Kaluma who represented the speaker of National Assembly, Moses Masika Wetangula, John Kiarie, the chairperson of Departmentental Committee on Communication, Information and Innovation,  representatives of the Public Relations Societies of Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia,South Sudan and Nigeria and senior government communication officials among them the Director Public Communication in the State Department of Broadcasting and Telecommunications under the Ministry of ICT and Digital Economy, Ms. Monica Omoro.