A political activist and National Unity Platform (NUP) cadre, Cymon Lo Katine, has criticised Parliament’s communication strategy under Speaker Anita Among, putting Director of Communication Chris Obore at the centre of the debate following recent tensions between the institution and the media.
Katine said Obore’s appointment had raised expectations given his background at the Nation Media Group, arguing that he was expected to strengthen Parliament’s engagement with the press and manage its public image more effectively.
“Why Anita should have dismissed Chris Obore just two months into office!” Katine said, questioning why early signs of communication challenges were not addressed sooner.
He argued that Obore’s experience at Nation Media Group should have given him an advantage in handling narratives in major media houses such as Daily Monitor and NTV.
“Coming from the Nation Media Group, one would have expected Obore to have Daily Monitor and NTV neatly tucked under his armpits, ensuring not even a cough of a negative headline about his boss saw the light of day,” he said.
Instead, Katine accused Parliament’s communication office of failing to manage mounting criticism, saying the situation escalated into a full media storm that was met with reactive decisions rather than structured engagement.
“But instead of managing the media storm, he watched it rain heavily on Parliament and then responded by suspending the very media houses from covering parliamentary proceedings,” he added.
He described the suspension of journalists from covering parliamentary proceedings as a counterproductive move that worsened the situation and strained relations with the press.
“That was like failing to stop a leak in your roof, then banning rain from falling,” Katine said.
Katine further argued that effective communication requires relationship-building with editors and reporters, rather than reacting after stories have already been published.
“A seasoned media handler knows the game is won through strategy, relationships, and influence not panic,” he said.
He added that a strong communications team should work ahead of negative coverage by addressing concerns early and engaging the media proactively.
“If Obore was truly the ‘communications guru’ people claimed him to be, he would have been busy neutralizing damaging stories before they reached the printing press,” Katine said.