Various organisations, including civil society groups, public commissions and the National Police Service, have joined efforts to train journalists on election coverage ahead of the August 2027 General Election in Kenya. The training workshops, held in Nakuru, aimed to equip media practitioners with the skills needed to report responsibly before, during and after the elections. Journalists, including bloggers and content creators, were urged to uphold professionalism, accuracy and impartiality in their coverage of political campaigns and elections.
The training sessions, organised separately by International Justice Mission (IJM) and Mid-Rift Human Rights Network, sought to foster working relationships between media practitioners and key institutions, including the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the National Police Service (NPS). The workshops were funded by the United Kingdom and implemented by Mid-Rift and the Electoral Law and Governance Institute for Africa (ELGIA).
Mid-Rift Executive Director Joseph Omondi emphasised the importance of fact-checking and verifying information before dissemination to prevent the spread of misinformation, disinformation and malinformation. He reminded journalists of the events that preceded the retaliatory attacks in Naivasha and Nakuru during the 2007/2008 Post-Election Violence, highlighting the need for conflict-sensitive reporting and adherence to journalistic ethics.
Omondi urged journalists to prioritise issue-based reporting rather than promote narratives that could divide communities along regional or ethnic lines. He also cautioned against spreading misinformation and disinformation that could undermine public confidence in the electoral process, citing a trend of journalists being recruited into political camps ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
Media Council of Kenya Rift Valley Regional Coordinator Joseph Mecha echoed Omondi's sentiments, cautioning journalists against publishing unverified claims, inflammatory statements and content that could incite violence. He urged media practitioners to report responsibly while ensuring that women, youth, persons with disabilities and other marginalised groups are adequately represented in electoral processes.
At the workshop organised by IJM, journalists were trained on how to identify and combat misinformation, particularly in the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI), where fabricated content can easily be generated and spread online. Media Council of Kenya Assistant Director for Training and Curriculum Development Christine Nguku urged journalists to use gender-sensitive language in their reporting while adhering to media ethics.
The training sessions aimed to ensure that journalists maintain political neutrality, give all candidates fair coverage and rely on credible sources when reporting election-related developments. Key institutions and stakeholders are working together to promote peaceful, credible and transparent electoral processes in Kenya ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Key points
- Journalists in Kenya are being trained on responsible election reporting to promote peaceful, credible and transparent electoral processes ahead of the 2027 General Election.
- The training sessions focused on conflict-sensitive reporting, fact-checking and verifying information to prevent the spread of misinformation and disinformation.
- Media practitioners were urged to prioritise issue-based reporting, maintain political neutrality and give all candidates fair coverage.
