More than 100 journalists from four counties are being trained in Kisumu on how to report devolution matters in the country.
The pilot project, which kicked off at Jumuia Guest House in Kisumu on Thursday, seeks to empower journalists to report better and positive stories on the devolution benefits.
“The project seeks to build the capacity of journalists, especially the ones in the counties who are on the ground,” said Kenya Correspondents chairman William Oloo.
“We want to generate better stories instead of the normal news bulletin.”
He added that among the topics that will be tackled in the process will include the role of counties in legislation and the budget process.
“We also want to ensure that journalists will be able to include the issues of the minority and the marginalised in the counties. This will ensure every person directly benefits from the new constitution,” he added.
The project, which is funded by the Ford Foundation, will train journalists from Kisumu, Turkana, Mombasa and Nairobi counties.
Dan Orlwale of the African Woman and Child Services, who trained the journalists, admitted that many of the journalists in the field did not fully understand the devolution process.
“For journalists to be able to disseminate the devolution process well, there is need for them to be taken step by step on the devolution process. We want to change the process of reporting and encourage journalists not to report on the personalities but on the issues involved,” he added.