Editors Guild has urged Isiolo residents to partner with journalists to ensure credible dissemination of information particularly on transformation and development.
The guild’s team leader Mr. Hassan Kulundu asked the media to be more aggressive in covering issues affecting the County and added while doing so to maintain credibility and fairness.
Kulundu made the remarks in Isiolo during a meeting organized by the Editors Guild that brought together the public and the media representatives in Isiolo.
He said the Guild was aware that Isiolo was a fertile ground for recruitment of youth into violent extremist groups like Al-Shabaab and pledged to involve all agencies to curb the spread of the vice.
A youth leader Mr. Ibrahim Wako alleged there was high corruption in the County which was hampering the development progress and called for highlighting of the vice so that the wrong doers could stop their immoral habits.
Among other issues highlighted at the meeting included tension created by boundary disputes between Meru and Isiolo counties and non involvement of the local communities in the initial planning stages of Lamu –Port, Southern-Sudan and Ethiopia Transport Corridor (LAPSSET).
Also youth, women and persons with disability claimed they were not able to access the 30 per cent procurement contracts as intended by the government and asked the media to assist them.
The Director of Communications in the Governor’s Office Mr. Simon Kinoti, requested the local residents to avoid spending a lot of time on politics but give the county government room to deliver.
Another speaker in the meeting, Mrs. Anab Kassim, said she would like the media to address the issues of the marginalization and lagging behind of the county.
She also said that cattle rustling derailed development in the area and required to be restrained by all means.
The Editors Guild is touring counties to educate the public on how to work in collaboration with the media to promote development.
By David Nduro