Information, Communications and Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo has promised to fast track the enactment of a law aimed at reining in quacks and other misfits that have invaded the public relations sector.

Owalo said the government is determined to ensure the passage of the Public Relations Society of Kenya (PRSK) Regulation Bill 2023 to weed out quacks that have invaded the sector and enhance professionalism.

“We want to streamline and have sanity in the PRSK industry for professionalism to remain to the PR experts and not quacks,” Owalo said.

Speaking during the 8th annual PRSK conference in Diani, Kwale county, he said his Ministry has already presented the PRSK Regulations Bill to Parliament for debate and enactment, before it is subsequently assented to by President William Ruto.

“We want to streamline and have sanity in the PRSK industry for professionalism to remain to the PR experts and not quacks,” Owalo said.

The CS said public relations sector has been infiltrated by some quacks who are apparently propagating fake news and unprofessionalism.

“There must be some order in the PR profession and this bill will not only acknowledge the dynamism of the industry, but would also sanitize it,” he observed.

Enhance credibility

Owalo said the bill would enhance credibility and accountability to the profession. His sentiments came after PRSK chairman Peter Mutie, urged the national government to assist the society in the enactment of a law to guide professional PR members.

“All other professional bodies have a proper law and guidelines that enable them practice well unlike us PR practitioners. It is time we also our own law to guide our operations,” Mutie said.
PRSK President Arik Karani urged communication experts to be champions of truth by fighting misinformation and disinformation in the public domain.

“Be the champions of communication in all sectors and fight fake news which is becoming a major threat in the communication world ,” Karani said.

Kwale Deputy Governor Chirema Kombo said PR practitioners play a key role in both government and private sectors and should therefore, strive to be truthful in their work. “You are key stakeholders in both government and private sector.”