Isaboke assumes office as Broadcasting and Telecommunications PS, outlines key priorities

Bernadette Khaduli and Rashid Naif-KNA

Heads of Departments and Chief Executive Officers in the State Department for Broadcasting and Telecommunications have been called upon to ensure the sectors they head deliver their mandates, presidential directives and key pillars of the government.

The new Broadcasting and Telecommunications Principal Secretary, Stephen Isaboke, pledged to give members of staff space to execute their duties and the necessary tools of trade to enable them to deliver their work effectively.

Isaboke at the same time told members of staff to be conversant with the pillars of the Kenya Kwanza manifesto which President William Ruto promised Kenyans and which he is already implementing.

 The PS singled out the turnaround of the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, the restructuring of the Postal Corporation of Kenya, the digital economy and the information superhighway, as part of the five pillars.

 “I urge all of you to work together as a team, as no one can deliver alone. Let us make the department great as it should be,” Isaboke said, while assuring members of staff that he will listen to them and give them the support they need.

The PS was speaking during a handing over ceremony held at the Ministry’s Headquarters at Telposta Towers.

He assumed office, taking over from his predecessor Prof. Edward Kisiang’ani, who has been moved to the Office of the President as a Senior Advisor in the President’s Economic Council.

The meeting was attended by Heads of Department and Chief Executive Officers from State Corporations under the State Department of Broadcasting and Telecommunications.

During the meeting, Prof. Kisiang’ani handed over some of the State Departments’ documentation to his successor.

Isaboke also directed the officers to ensure that all citizenry from the grassroots level is accorded with the services as per the government’s manifesto.

“If you look at the President, he talks about the hustlers. He is going out to the masses, not a few people, they want to be reached,” he said.

On the part of delivery services, the PS directed the heads of department to commit the agreed projects and programmes during implementation, while referring to the performance contract they signed.

He said according to the Kenya Kwanza manifesto; implementation is a huge component that makes capital projects succeed and urged the senior officers to do what has been agreed on and what has been committed.

“You should commit to what you can manage to do to avoid having pending projects,” he added.

The PS also urged members of staff to help each other to grow in their careers, family and welfare matters, a move he noted will create a healthy and productive workforce.

“I'm one of those people that say, let's work together to help each one of us grow, in our own respects, in career, in family, in even your own welfare,” noted the PS.

Isaboke added, “For us to make progress, we must grow. We must get people that are, up to the task, professional, stepping up to the next level, growing in terms of their career, and leaving space for the younger people to grow.”

The PS also stressed the importance of document management, correspondence, dealing with commitments and visitors and urged officers to adhere to government rules and regulations, when handling such matters.

Prof. Kisiang’ani assured the new PS of his support whenever needed, while expressing confidence that the officers in the state department will accord him the support he requires to propel the department to the next level.

“These officers have a lot of information. And when you want certain information to come in a particular format, they will help you. And so, your first agenda is to protect them,” said Kisiang’ani.

He urged the incoming PS to protect members of staff from adverse external forces to enable them to perform their duties effectively, even as he thanked the officers for supporting him during his tenure, which made his work easier.

“You should continue with the reform agenda and effort to entrench the Communication Strategy and Policy which will be handed over to the Cabinet for processing,” Kisiang’ani said.