Kenya Govt Speaks On Hiring Global PR Firms To Clean Up Its Image

The government of Kenya has addressed claims of engaging international media firms APO Group and ZAWYA for public relations services.

In a statement on Monday, January 13, Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura clarified the role of the two international news agencies, stating that the government does not have any business ties with them.

"A recent article suggests that the government has hired APO Group and Zawya for PR. To clarify, there are no commercial ties with these organisations," Mwaura stated via the SpokespersonGOK social media pages.

"APO has been sharing Presidency news pro bono since March 2020, prior to President Ruto’s tenure to help amplify African Voices."

This statement came after an online publication claimed that the two news agencies were on the government’s payroll, purportedly to help repair President William Ruto’s allegedly tarnished image.

According to the article being referred to, the government had leaned towards the expertise of APO Group whose primary mission is to empower businesses through strategic communication, and Zawya, a trusted news source in the Middle East and Africa to supposedly assist in amplifying positive narratives about the presidency and key ministries.

The denial comes as Kenyan netizens waged a coordinated online campaign against the PR firms, following allegations of their involvement in managing the government’s international image. The alleged hiring of the two agencies was after President Ruto's image was severely damaged in the aftermath of the June-August Gen Z-led protests over the Finance Bill 2024 and the use of excessive force to suppress demonstrations.

Further heightened international scrutiny, particularly by Western governments and human rights organisations critical of reports of extrajudicial practices such as abductions, enforced disappearances, and alleged killings of government critics, was cited as another reason for engaging the two agencies.

The article claimed the government was paying online bloggers between Ksh30,000 and Ksh100,000 monthly to publicise achievements and promote the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).

In addition to relying on the two firms, the article highlighted a decision by a top government official to hire media and communications experts to bolster the government’s image.

Ruto has previously expressed concerns about the risks posed by the digital media landscape, particularly concerning disinformation and fake news.

While delivering his Jamhuri Day address in 2024, Ruto explicitly outlined his fears: “We are at the stage in social development when digital technologies have immense capacity to amplify disinformation, magnify fake news, and distort facts beyond all recognition. If we give in to these emerging negative trends, we shall pay with our freedom, democracy and development.”

Tech-savvy activists have been contacting the companies’ global clients, warning them about what they describe as “reputation laundering.”

Both APO Group and ZAWYA have remained silent in the face of growing criticism about their alleged role in what activists view as an attempt to minimize serious governance issues.