KILIFI GOVERNOR KEEPS TABS WITH THE YOUTHS VIA SOCIAL MEDIA

In a bid to be abreast with the youths in the county, Kilifi County’s governor, Hon Amason Jefwa Kingi has identified social media as a potential channel for interaction.

Governor Kingi who also uses @AmasonKingi as his tweeter handle, Amason Jeffah as his user name on g+, Team AJ Kingi on youtube and Amason Kingi on skype says that social media has shrunk geographical distance. He is able to communicate with youths from all over county at the touch of a button and without necessarily spending so much on fuel in order to pay youths visits. Something he does but after validation is done.

“I decided to use social media as part of my interactions with the people of our great County of Kilifi, simply because of its coverage. You can easily reach out to the masses in a very short period of time. This saves time and resources unlike when i have to travel to speak to them or when they come all the way to my office.”

According to statistics 65% of the County population are youthful and have embraces social media. It is this finding that has made embracing social media a viable option for the governor. 

 “65% of the our County men are youthful and they have embraced Facebook, Twitter, g+ and other media avenues as part of their lives, so it backs easy for my interaction as I meet them where they are,” he says.

Despite his busy schedule, the governor personally posts and replies to messages on social media. Unlike many leaders who have people to control their social media accounts, Kingi says the people of Kilifi are his business and it is up to him to find time for them.

“My business is the people of Kilifi County that's why I am able to meet them online on social media. I mostly interact with my people when am on my way to the office and when a relaxing. When in the office too, I find time to chat with those that need office reference. On the heavy online traffic, I am forced to sometimes sacrifice my sleep time to respond to my people.”

However in the past social media interaction have resulted to libel and defamation but according to the governor a leader should be tolerant with what his people say to him, whether good or bad.

“The social media as an interactive forum is just like a market. An old African saying goes, in every market is a mad man and so is the social media. One quality of a leader is tolerance and forgiveness, so I usually forgive those who throw abuses to me because I treat that as a case of madness and lack of morals.” He concluded.