Training of Journalists in the three Regions Rift Valley, Lower Eastern and Coast

The objective of the training was to build capacity among regional Journalists working in the grassroots that will help them to effectively report on devolution. The majority of journalists and broadcasters working in Kenya’s grassroots lack formal training in Media skills. The Workshop therefore explored the basics (the “nuts and bolts”) of practical journalism in the following areas:

• the laws governing the practice and the ethics thereof
• how to be a watchdog of the public through interpretative and analytical reporting
• conflict sensitive reporting
• and Hosting professional talk shows, running thematic debates (interviewing skills)

In summary it can be said that Journalism in the Counties is hinged on two main bridges: having knowledge and possessing the skills to put across the knowledge. Therefore the Workshop was a great success: the participants enhanced their skills how to act as a professional journalist. The participants have been thankful and wish that more of such trainings are done at least two times in a year.

On the second day the purpose of the training was to promote devolution by strengthening the capacities of state and non state actors for effective devolved governance. In this case the target group of journalists were provided with clear and specific information about:

• Devolution and Legal Framework
• the roles and functions of authorities at County level
• the budgeting and
• the integrated development planning

There is no denying the fact that the topics discussed and presented were relevant and the participants were deliberately well selected as the right people to send the devolution message to the citizens through vernacular FM and other media outlets. The participants have more knowledge about devolution and they are aware of people’s participation as a key area of a devolved system. The journalists actually thanked Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung for opening them to new knowledge.