United Democratic party (UDA) Secretary General Cleophas Malala on Monday, July 31, criticized ICT Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo for not doing enough in telling the country what President William Ruto’s government is doing. 

Speaking during the unveiling of a progress report for the Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy, Malala asked Owalo to expedite the recruitment of a government spokesperson. 

“I Would like to urge you Bwana CS to expedite the recruitment of a government spokesperson.

We have been having a gap with our government communicating what is doing. We have a lot of projects that the government is doing impacting positively to society, but the communication has been missing.

This is a result of you not taking up that role of disseminating government information not only in your ministry but other ministries as well,” Malala told Owalo.

Furthermore, he challenged the CS to work on the relationship between the government and the media.

“Kindly, our government has been having a wavy relationship with the media. We want to ask you CS Eliud Owalo, this is in your domain.

Try and mend the relationship between the government and the media,” Malala said.

He also appealed to the media to be bearers of good news and hope to the people of Kenya.

“I would also like to request the media to help government communicate hope, and help Kenya have hope.”

Additionally, the UDA SG criticized media for focusing on negative stories and leaving out development content. 

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“Tomorrow I will expect that from what CS Owalo has spoken here, you should be on the headline. The headline should be Owalo’s performance.

But I can assure you tomorrow’s headline will be ‘Bipartisan talks collapse……’,” said Cleophas Malala

He however congratulated the CS for the milestone after clocking nearly a year in office 

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ICT Progress Report

CS Owalo announced the Ministry’s progress for the one-year, highlighting the responsibilities and the achievements.

Based on the government’s plan centered on the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), the ICT has a role of creating a digital superhighway.

Its responsibilities include improving internet connectivity, digitizing government services and creating digital laboratories.

Additionally, in establishing and operationalizing five thousand free Wi-Fi hotspots, Owalo noted that the government has achieved 421 setups in market and bus terminus with the help of county governments.

He explained that his ministry had established a total of 145 digital laboratories for digital skilling and providing digital jobs for the youth.

Moreover, the CS announced that Huduma number will be optional for Kenyans.