Editorial policy
How we decide what to publish, where information comes from, and how we keep it accurate.
Our purpose
CitizenGuide.KE helps people understand how government in Kenya works and how to find official services. We write in plain language and organise content around citizen needs as well as institutions.
Source hierarchy
When sources conflict, we prefer information in this order:
- The Constitution of Kenya and Acts of Parliament as published
- Kenya Gazette notices and official proclamations
- Primary records from Parliament (including Hansard), the Judiciary and constitutional commissions
- Official websites and publications of ministries, agencies and county governments
- Structured open data released by public bodies (used carefully and dated)
We do not treat social media posts, campaign materials or unpaid forwards as authoritative sources for fees, legal requirements or appointments.
What we will publish
- Explanations of public institutions and their mandates
- Directories of public office holders when sourced
- Guidance that helps people start official processes (with links out)
- Open datasets we host with clear provenance
- Civic explainers (devolution, elections, public finance)
What we will not publish
- Party-political campaigning or endorsements
- Unverified rumours about appointments or investigations
- Instructions that encourage breaking the law
- Content that pretends to be an official government service or payment page
How we write
We aim to follow public content principles. Full detail is in the content style guide:
- lead with the user need
- use short sentences and everyday words where possible
- expand acronyms the first time they appear
- use active voice
- show currency as Kenyan shillings (KSh) and date-stamp fees when we quote them
- say when something varies by county or can change
Updates and review
High-risk pages — fees, elections, tax and identity services — are reviewed more often. Structural pages (for example arms of government) are updated when official sources change.
There may be a short delay between an official announcement and our update. For the latest position, use the responsible public body’s website.
Corrections
We correct factual errors promptly when verified. Read how to request a correction on our corrections page.
Independence
This website is independent of the Government of Kenya. Editorial decisions are not controlled by any ministry, county or political party. See our disclaimer and about page.