New outfit to handle government advertising set up

Mr Denis Chebitwey, the chief executive officer of the Kenya Yearbook, will oversee the work of the new entity as the Director of Public Communications under the Ministry of Information Communication and Technology. PHOTO | ANTHONY KAMAU |   NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• Under the new regime, all advertisements and notices by ministries, state corporations and foreign missions will be channelled through the directorate.
• Government statistics released by the Information ministry show that total advertising expenditure for public institutions, State agencies and parastatals between June 2012 and April last year was Sh2.8 billion.

By NATION REPORTER
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Plans to set up a media buying outfit that will handle the advertising needs of all ministries and state-owned entities have been finalised.

Mr Denis Chebitwey, the chief executive officer of the Kenya Yearbook, will oversee the work of the new entity as the director of public communications under the Ministry of Information Communication and Technology.

“Our role will basically be to coordinate and manage the procurement of all advertising services for the government and other State companies. We will also be required to improve the quality of the adverts to make sure they communicate effectively,” Mr Chebitwey said.

Under the new regime, all advertisements and notices by ministries, state corporations and foreign missions will be channelled through the directorate.

It will take charge of the advertising budget roles of these organisations. Government statistics released by the Information ministry show that total advertising expenditure for public institutions, State agencies and parastatals between June 2012 and April last year was Sh2.8 billion.

The new unit will also be charged with generating content for government websites.

“We are required to ensure the government at any time is communicating the same message so we will be working closely with public relation officers of the other agencies,” he said.

In an earlier interview with the Nation, ICT Cabinet secretary Fred Matiang’i said ministries, county governments and foreign missions would be required to submit their advertisements and public notices to the new unit, which would then decide whether to place them in the print media or on an online platform.