Govt Denies Hiring PR Firms

Government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura, denied reports that APO Group and Zawya were hired for PR purposes to repair President Ruto’s image. He clarified that APO Group has been assisting pro bono since 2020, sharing news from the Presidency before Ruto’s tenure.

The article suggested the government turned to these agencies to enhance its image, particularly after the June-August 2024 protests over the Finance Bill and allegations of human rights violations. The government rejected the notion that it was paying these agencies for image repair.

Additional claims in the article mentioned that the government was compensating bloggers to promote its achievements and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). It also highlighted the hiring of media experts to manage the government’s image amid international scrutiny.

President Ruto has voiced concerns about the impact of digital media, stressing that it can amplify disinformation and fake news, which he sees as a threat to democracy, freedom, and development.