The conversation about access to information must now also be a conversation about information integrity. Having too much information does not necessarily make it easier to know what is true. A person can receive the same story from several platforms, encounter conflicting accounts of the same event, watch a convincing video and read an apparently authoritative statement, all within a few minutes. This is a challenge in the digital age, where information can be produced and distributed at extraordinary speed.
Access to information is a fundamental right, granted by Article 35 of Kenya’s constitution. The Access to Information Act implements this right and requires public entities to facilitate access. These provisions recognise that people cannot meaningfully participate in public life if they do not have access to the information needed to understand the decisions that affect them, question those in authority and make informed choices.
However, a right to information does not, by itself, guarantee an informed public. Information may exist but remain difficult to obtain. It may be released too late to be useful. It may be technically available but presented in ways that make it difficult to comprehend. The responsibility to ensure credible information cannot rest with one institution or one profession. Public institutions have a duty to make relevant information available, respond to legitimate requests and, where appropriate, disclose information proactively.
The media has a corresponding responsibility to provide credible information. Journalism provides one of the important processes through which information is tested, verified, placed in context and subjected to scrutiny before it reaches the public. This responsibility becomes even greater when journalists are operating in an environment where information can be produced and distributed at extraordinary speed. Technology has changed that environment considerably, with Artificial Intelligence assisting with research, verification and access to information.
Citizens also have a role to play in ensuring credible information. Media and information literacy is increasingly important. People need the ability to validate information, distinguish fact from opinion, recognise manipulation and seek reliable sources before accepting or sharing what they encounter. This is particularly important as Kenya moves towards the 2027 general election, which will generate an enormous demand for information.
The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has continued to engage public institutions on access to information, support professional journalism through training and capacity building, and strengthen standards for journalists working in an increasingly complex information environment. The council’s work on election coverage, digital responsibility, artificial intelligence and verification is part of the same larger objective: enabling the media to provide the public with information that is accurate, responsible and useful.
As the country marks the International Day for Universal Access to Information, the focus is on upholding information integrity in the digital age. The theme recognises that the right to information cannot be considered separately from the quality and reliability of the information people are able to access. The broader task is to ensure that efforts to promote access to information extend beyond policy documents and institutional programmes to enable ordinary citizens to find authoritative information and participate meaningfully in governance.
Key points
- A healthy information environment must allow people to access, produce and share information while maintaining standards.
- The conversation about access to information must now also be a conversation about information integrity.
- Media and information literacy is increasingly important for citizens to validate information and distinguish fact from opinion.
