Dennis Itumbi explains why government is engaging influencers to advance its agenda

Itumbi said the government is endorsing 43 systems and including influencers in telling the government’s story is one of them. A screengrab of Dennis Itumbi, the Head of Presidential Special Projects and Creative Economy, speaks during on Citizen TV's JKLive Show on Wednesday April 8, 2026.

Head of presidential special projects and creative economy, Dennis Itumbi has confirmed the government’s agenda to include social media influencers to advocate for its programs.

Itumbi said the government is endorsing 43 systems and including influencers in telling the government’s story is one of them.

He said the system was in the UDA manifesto, thus an implementation of a promise made by president William Ruto.

‘’Media Council of Kenya study shows social media has a higher reach than mainstream media.’’ Itumbi insisted saying influencers will reach a wider audience.

‘’Participate in telling your government’s story from a factual level and building your country’’ Itumbi advised the influencers on Saturday saying that will be their main role.

He further said the influencers will be permitted to go through any necessary documents first; make sure they are factual before explaining to their audience in a language they understand.

‘’Mlisema Social Health Authority SHA imecollupse where there is nothing like that, maybe it’s the platform which the government is communicating from. That is why we need influencers to tell the factual stories,’’ he stated.

Itumbi said the same way the government pays for newspapers to tell the story then there is no problem in paying influencers to tell the story.

He affirmed the influencers he is ready to approach them to tell the government’s story and encouraged them to grow their social media accounts.

Lately there has been a flurry of digital creators and influencers endorsing government projects across the country, even as the country draws closer to the 2027 general election.

The use of influencers has attracted debate among Kenyans, with those opposing the government of the day taking the influencers to task.