Journalists Told to Expose Fraud, Waste and Abuse in Counties Health Sector
AMWIK programs coordinator Lorna Sempere (Photo/ Courtesy)
By Harrison Kivisu
Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com
The Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK) has asked journalists to adopt investigative reporting that would expose corruption and mismanagement of resources in Coastal counties.
In the program dubbed the United Society Against Fraud, Waste, and Abuse (USAWA) which AMWIK has partnered with others with the aim of empowering journalists on investigative journalism.
Speaking to Kilifi based journalists during a training session, AMWIK programs coordinator Lorna Sempere said journalists had a role to inform the public about the accountability of public resources allocated to different health departments.
The journalists from the county were being trained on Health reporting, fact-checking, data visualization, and security by a pool of competent trainers.
The project aims to ensure journalists become the eyes and ears of society through behavioural change using health journalism under USAWA program being carried out in other five counties in the country.
“Selected journalists have been equipped with journalistic knowledge and skills that will aid in reducing fraud, waste, and abuse in the health sector through partnership with civil society, the private sector, citizens networks, and the coalition to own, lead, and catalyze anti-corruption advocacy on reforms, in support of the USAID-USAWA Program,” she said.
AMWIK has partnered with Transparency International (TI-Kenya), as part of a consortium with two other organizations, Global Compact, and Inter-Religious Council of Kenya (IRCK).
“The program, to be implemented from 2023 to 2028, aims to reduce fraud, waste, and abuse by equipping civil society, the private sector, citizens networks, and the coalition to own, lead, and catalyze anti-corruption advocacy on reforms,” she added.
The USAWA program focuses specifically on the health sector, and it is being implemented together with AMWIK, for a period of five (5) years up to 2028.
“Due to the track record of AMWIK and its consortium partners of implementing accountability work across the various facets of the proposed program, the USAWA programme is being implemented in five (5) counties: Isiolo, Kakamega, Nakuru, Mombasa, and Kilifi.”
Media Council of Kenya (MCK) Coast regional coordinator Maureen Mudi asked journalists to stick to the ethical principles while reporting on the selected matter to avoid unnecessary litigations.
“As we report on the sensitive matters of corruption, we should ensure all ethical principles of journalism are applied, this way we will minimize harm and earn public trust,” she said in her presentation.
Corrupt practices within counties include non-merit-based recruitment and training of health workers, supply of substandard goods, equipment and infrastructure; theft, embezzlement and misuse of public funds and property; and informal payments.
