Youth representative says misinformation is undermining public understanding of Government projects

Economist and Jamii Imara Mashinani Youth Representative Naipamei Kaikai has defended the government's public engagement programme, saying it was created to tackle misinformation, track the progress of public projects, and give citizens direct access to officials responsible for implementing government policies.

Speaking during a Radio Generation interview on Tuesday, Kaikai said many Kenyans continue to receive inaccurate information about government programmes and development projects, making it important for senior public officials to engage directly with communities across the country.

She explained that the initiative brings together Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, chief executive officers of state corporations, board chairpersons, and directors to meet citizens at the grassroots and address concerns affecting them.

According to Kaikai, the programme is designed to ensure that wananchi can engage directly with decision-makers and receive accurate information about government projects instead of relying on political narratives or social media discussions.

"The agenda for this government is bottom-up, so we have gone to the grassroots to confer with Kenyans and listen to them. Many of the issues being discussed on social media are misinformation. We are there to hear the genuine concerns of Kenyans and follow up on projects because they are the decision-makers. If you have a road that was supposed to be completed two years ago, the right person to question is the relevant Principal Secretary because they are the accounting officers who can explain whether Treasury released the money or why the project is delayed."

Kaikai said the engagement forums also help citizens understand the responsibilities of different government institutions, noting that confusion over constitutional mandates often leads to misplaced blame when projects stall or services fail.

She maintained that public officials should be held accountable according to the duties assigned to them under the law, adding that not every issue should automatically be directed at the President.

The economist also defended the implementation of the Social Health Authority (SHA), arguing that citizens should first register and use the system before forming conclusions about its effectiveness.

"You first have to register for SHA to become a beneficiary. You cannot criticise something you are not consuming. Once you experience it yourself, you can say where it worked and where there were challenges. Even when systems slow down because many people are logging in at once, that feedback helps developers improve them because no application becomes perfect overnight."

She said the outreach team's approach is centred on listening to citizens before offering explanations or updates on government programmes.

"We first listen to Kenyans about their issues on projects and government policy, then we respond and highlight the projects taking place in every county. We also explain which developments are national government functions and which belong to county governments because there is a lot of confusion."

Kaikai further argued that many citizens do not fully understand the distinct responsibilities of Parliament and the Executive, leading to confusion over who should be held accountable for various issues.

She noted that Parliament's role is to make laws while the Executive is responsible for implementing them, urging Kenyans to evaluate leaders based on the specific duties assigned to their offices.

At the same time, she criticised what she described as selective accountability, saying Members of Parliament often escape scrutiny because public criticism is largely focused on the Head of State.

According to her, MPs are elected to represent citizens and should be held accountable for legislation, public participation, and development matters within their constituencies.

Kaikai said placing responsibility for every challenge on the President allows other leaders to avoid answering for their own performance, ultimately affecting service delivery and slowing development efforts.

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