The Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni, has underscored the critical role of the media in strengthening informed public participation and enhancing engagement between government and communities.
Speaking in Nyamira ahead of the Jamii Imara Mashinani engagement initiative, Muthoni said the media plays a central role in “supporting informed public participation, facilitating two-way communication, and ensuring communities are accurately informed on government programmes and services.”
She noted that the Jamii Imara Mashinani forum is designed to bring government services closer to the people by creating a structured platform for direct engagement at the grassroots level.
According to the PS, the initiative enables government agencies to interact with residents, provide updates on development projects, and listen to concerns affecting local communities.
“The forum provides a platform for government agencies to engage directly with residents, share updates on ongoing development initiatives, and receive feedback on issues affecting communities at the grassroots,” she said.
Muthoni said such engagements are essential in ensuring that public policies and programmes are responsive to the real needs of citizens.
She observed that through open dialogue, residents are empowered to participate meaningfully in governance by voicing their concerns, seeking clarification, and proposing ideas.
“The engagement allows residents to raise concerns, ask questions, and contribute ideas that help inform policies and programmes responsive to local needs,” the PS said.
She called on both community members and the media to take an active role in the process, noting that effective communication is a shared responsibility.
Muthoni stressed that transparency and collaboration between government institutions, the media, and the public are key to achieving inclusive and sustainable development.
“Dialogue, transparency, and collaboration are key pillars of inclusive and sustainable development,” she said, adding that the media serves as a vital bridge between government and citizens by ensuring accurate, timely, and accessible information.
The PS said informed communities are better placed to hold institutions accountable and to participate constructively in development initiatives.
She added that government remains committed to engaging citizens at the local level as part of broader efforts to improve service delivery.
During the Nyamira engagement, Muthoni was accompanied by chairpersons, chief executive officers, and directors drawn from various agencies across different government departments.
The presence of senior officials, she said, demonstrates the government’s commitment to coordinated service delivery and responsiveness to public concerns.
The Jamii Imara Mashinani initiative is part of ongoing efforts to deepen public participation by taking government services and information directly to communities, fostering trust, and strengthening partnerships between citizens and state institutions.
