Laban-Cliff Onserio, a former Chief of Staff at Standard Group and Business Editor at NTV, has been proposed as a candidate for the position of government spokesperson by former colleagues and various institutions.
Currently serving as the Regional Director for the Chief of Staff Association, a continental lobby group for chief of staff professionals, Onserio's name has emerged as a potential successor to retired Colonel Cyrus Oguna, who served as the mouthpiece of President Uhuru Kenyatta's administration.
Onserio's candidature has garnered support from former NTV anchor Mark Masai and the United States International University (USIU) alumni association, signaling growing interest in his potential appointment.
The expression of interest in Onserio's candidacy comes in the wake of an announcement by ICT Ministry Secretary Eliud Owalo, indicating the government's search for an official spokesperson. Cleophas Malala, the Secretary General of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), also endorsed the move, stressing the need for improved government communication.
"There has been a gap in government communication on what is being done. Many positive things have been accomplished, but the information has been missing," said Malala.
Criticism has been directed at the government over disjointed and uncoordinated communication, exemplified by conflicting statements from Owalo and Interior colleague Kithure Kindiki regarding Worldcoin on a recent occasion.
Laban-Cliff Onserio boasts an impressive professional background, having served as the Deputy Communications Director at the Executive Office of the President from 2018 to 2021. He also worked as a Business Reporter at CNBC Africa and held a prominent role as a business anchor at Nation Media Group for five years before becoming the Deputy Director of Communication in the Presidential Delivery Unit.
With a Global Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the United States International University and a Business Administration and Marketing degree from Strathmore University, Onserio has a solid educational foundation. Additionally, he completed the Reuters Fellowship programme at Oxford University.
The role of a government spokesperson is crucial, as it involves communicating government policies and programs to the public through various media platforms. The spokesperson also plays a pivotal advisory role in crafting effective media strategies for the government. They represent the government at press conferences, media interviews, and public events, while monitoring news coverage and public perceptions of government policies and initiatives.
According to the job advert placed by the Ministry on May 19, qualifications for the role include fluency in both spoken and written Swahili and English, as well as a minimum of 10 years of experience as a communication and media practitioner.
The office of government spokesperson comes with an attractive monthly salary of Ksh970,000 inclusive of allowances, making it a highly sought-after position.