Water Shortage and Drought Stories Received High Prominence in Kenyan Media

Water shortage received 32 percent of water-related coverage in Kenya’s media followed by drought at 15 percent with drought-related coverage being highest in the North Rift regions, particularly in Turkana County.

This is according to the Water Issue Report by Reelforge Media Intelligence, a media monitoring and research company which showed that stories on water shortages and drought received the highest prominence in Kenya’s media between January 2017 and March 2018.

The reappointment of Nairobi Water Company Managing Director in 2017 led to a strike of its workers that saw Nairobi receive high corporate themed coverage at 13 percent of the total coverage.

11 percent of reported cases were on water treatment following the outbreak of cholera while matters irrigation and floods managed 9 percent and 6 percent respectively.

Focus on water conservation was high in the Lower Eastern region recording 33.5 percent of the total coverage on water conservation. This was slightly lower than the Nairobi region that received 38.1 percent of water conservation related coverage whose largest area of focus was corporate related matters which led the pack at 80.9 percent of all reported corporate issues.

There was higher coverage on matters of water conservation on print platforms (16 percent) than on TV and radio both recording 11 percent.

Of a total of 16,648 stories monitored, 2,022 were about Nairobi followed by Western Kenya at 1,232 while the Coastal region had the least water-related mentions at 271.

High publicity on water-related issues between January to April 2017 was largely due to water shortages in various parts of the country as a result of prolonged drought. The coverage decreased between July and September as focus shifted towards the general elections then drought that led to the scarcity of water in December to February 2018 saw the coverage soar.

Reelforge’s Head of Research and Consulting Fred Otieno said that the issues given prominence by the media have a high influence on decisions made and actions taken on matters water management. “It is important that the fourth estate gives prominence to pertinent issues affecting the Kenyan society such as water and continue to ask the tough questions on water management and conservation efforts by all stakeholders.”

Radio was the platform with the highest water-related coverage at 60 percent followed by TV and radio with 23 percent and 17 percent of the total publicity volumes respectively. Among the stories that drove high coverage on Radio during the period under review included water shortages, diseases due to contaminated water as well as corporate issues.

This comes as the world celebrates World Water Day today under the theme ‘The Answer is in Nature’.