Kenyan state agencies and ministries have been advised to adopt online advertisements in order to cut down on their expenses on communication services.
Cabinet Secretary for Information Fred Matiang’i said that the move would in turn help reduce the government’s advertising expenditure from KSh2.8 billion to about KSh1 billion per year. He further stated that the new directive expects all state corporations, government ministries and foreign missions notices, and advertisements to be published by other more cost-efficient means — preferably the electronic media.
The Daily Nation reported that the order that took effect on Tuesday would also see the Government Advertising Unit (GAU) established under the Information ministry. Its major responsibility will be to coordinate and handle the procurement of each advertising service for the government as well as other state companies.
Mr. Matiang’i also noted that the move would help harmonize ongoing efforts to reduce operations cost in public institutions.
Under this new framework, all county governments, foreign missions, companies and government ministries are required to present their public notices and advertisements to the new unit, which would afterwards decide whether to put them on an online platform or in the print media.
The change has a likelihood of affecting media houses advertising revenue that greatly depend on the government as a business source.
