Government to Spend Ksh. 100M Annually on Influencers to Rebuild Trust
News Updated: 20 January 2026 13:13 EAT
The government has unveiled a strategic plan to spend at least Ksh 100 million every year on social media influencers and bloggers in a bid to rehabilitate its public image and counter persistent online criticism. The proposal, detailed in the Ministry of ICT’s National Communication Strategy for 2024–2027, marks a significant shift toward paid digital advocacy to boost the administration's profile.
Under this three-year roadmap, the government intends to contract a specialized team of 52 digital creators to amplify state policies and development projects.
The strategy categorizes these creators into two tiers:
i)20 Macro-influencers tasked with leading high-level online campaigns and profiling government programs.
ii) 32 Micro-influencers responsible for generating engagement and driving specific hashtags across platforms like X, TikTok, and Instagram.
Beyond direct payments to creators, the strategy allocates Ksh 49.8 million annually for digital and print content development. The plan also includes a Ksh 2 million annual budget for integrating Artificial Intelligence, such as AI chatbots, into government platforms to streamline public queries.
The report outlines heavy investment in traditional media, with Ksh 48 million earmarked for television activations and Ksh 64 million for radio. However, the document has come under scrutiny for significant mathematical inconsistencies. While the strategy lists the annual TV activation package at Ksh 48 million, a breakdown of the monthly costs for five major stations suggests the figure should be closer to Ksh 144 million, raising questions about the accuracy of the financial planning.
Internal assessments conducted for the report revealed that existing government social media pages are currently too "person-centric," focusing heavily on political figures rather than socio-economic issues. This has resulted in low public engagement. By pivoting to influencers and a "brand ambassador" model, the ICT Ministry hopes to create a more relatable national identity and restore public confidence in the "Bottom-Up" agenda.
Tags: Ict Editor's Pick
Share this article
Edith stacy
I specialize in developing compelling stories and leading teams to produce high-quality, impactful journalism.