After enduring a toxic relationship, Kitui Assembly Speaker Kevin Kinengo met a group of county journalists on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, to try to cement their working relationship and strengthen collaboration in enhancing open communication between the Assembly and the media.

During the engagement held at the assembly’s premises, Kinengo urged the media to consistently reflect in spirit and letter the principles of factual accuracy, comprehensive coverage, fairness, and balance in their reportage.

“I want to emphasise the crucial role of the media in promoting transparency, public awareness, and accountability within the legislative process. Journalists serve as a vital link between the Assembly and the citizens, ensuring that residents are well-informed about debates, decisions, and development matters discussed on the floor of the House,” the speaker said.

He further highlighted the importance of continuous partnership, stating that the media must be empowered with accurate information to effectively cover the assembly proceedings.

“A well-informed media means a well-informed public. When citizens understand what their representatives are doing, democracy becomes stronger,” Kinengo said.

Media freedom

He assured the journalists of the Assembly’s commitment to upholding media freedom and creating a conducive environment for responsible reporting. He expressed confidence that such engagements will foster mutual understanding, improve news quality, and help tell positive stories of progress in Kitui.

Journalists Raphael Mulatya and Musembi Nzengu commended the initiative as a major step toward enhancing information flow and collaboration. Mulatya and Musembi appreciated the open-door approach championed by the speaker and pledged to continue highlighting the assembly’s legislative work for the benefit of the people of the county.

The meeting agreed to resist all forms of bias and censorship and comprehensively report every side of every story.

The group assured the speaker that their stories will be driven by verifiable facts and will be separated from the writers’ opinions. They also said they are independent from vested interests, religious, political, ethnic, commercial, or other.

Speaker after speaker said the media’s loyalty will remain to the public good, as reflected by the changing issues and priorities of the times.