A major shake-up at the Kwale governors press team is looming as the communications director takes full charge in ensuring governor Fatuma Achani is given required coverage across all the media. It is whispered that several media personnel at the governor’s press might be redeployed to serve the county in other areas which need their services more and pave the way for two new veterans. In what seems to be plans of restructuring and ensuring committed governor press team delivery, it is whispered that communications Director Nicky Gitonga is planning to recruit more serious script writers and videographers. Coast Times has established that one writer from Kwale working for a national news-paper and a free-lance videographer are set to add value to the governor Fatuma Achani press team. Currently Gitonga is the only journalist who has worked in a serious national media house in the country at the governor’s press team and might be out to get people who can deliver without supervision.
“I don’t know where you guys got that information from but what I know my priority is about my boss getting media coverage as much as possible,” said Gitonga when contacted for comment about the issue.
He said that Achani is a performer who only needed to be given a media platform to showcase what is on her development bag. Asked why he would require additional two media writers and videographers in a flooded governors press team, Gitonga could not respond but maintained Governor Achani administration development agenda media exposure is his first priority.The Coast Times has learnt that during Governor Salim Mvurya’s administration, the press team failed terribly forcing Achani to get a person she trusted would deliver. At one time in 2021 the press team did not have professional video editors to the extent they sought to recall communication officials from the health department which Achani refused.

‘I thought you guys did the same journalism course and therefore you are supposed to be able to take video and edit. Why should we take other staff from the health department to come and do your jobs,” Achani reportedly confronted the previous team.

It is believed this is one reason Gitonga is poaching professionals who can write and take video as well as editing for distribution to media houses without being supervised. Governor Fatuma Achani has heaped praises on her director saying she is proud of him.

In a WhatsApp status the governor said “Am proud of my communications director,” a status that Gitonga went ahead to screenshot and shared on his status saying, “my boss says I am doing a good job. I thank God,” it reads.