DNK International By Our Reporter,Nairobi
Former National Police Service spokesperson Charles Owino Wahong’o has completed another significant chapter in his long public service career after President William Ruto yesterday appointed him as the Government Spokesperson.
Ruto has placed one of Kenya’s most recognisable security communicators at the centre of official government messaging.
The appointment comes after Owino had been serving as Acting Head of Government Communications in the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy.
Owino who is in his late 50’s was born in Siaya County and is an alumnus of the University of Nairobi, where he earned a Master’s degree in International Relations, adding to the professional police training that shaped his decades long law enforcement career.
Throughout his service, he attended numerous policing, security and communication courses that prepared him for leadership and public relations roles within the National Police Service.
He joined the Kenya Police Service as a young officer and steadily climbed through the service ranks through discipline, operational experience and communication skills.
During his career, he served in various stations and commands across the country, including Njoro as Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD), Ndhiwa in Homa Bay County and later Kisumu County, where he was involved in coordinating security operations.
He also served at Police Headquarters before becoming Deputy Director of Communications, a position that eventually propelled him to the role of National Police Service spokesperson.
As a police spokesperson, Owino became one of the country’s most familiar faces, addressing the nation during major security incidents, elections, terrorist attacks and national emergencies.
His calm demeanour, command of facts and willingness to engage the media earned him respect across the journalism fraternity.
He was widely credited with modernising police communication by ensuring regular media briefings and maintaining a visible public presence during security crises.
Among his memorable remarks was his frequent reminder that “security begins with you,” emphasising that policing is a shared responsibility between law enforcement agencies and the public.
He also consistently urged Kenyans to provide timely intelligence to security agencies, arguing that crime prevention depends on cooperation between citizens and police.
In 2021, Owino announced his intention to retire from the police service to pursue elective politics and also engaged in farming rearing fish in Nyanza region.
He sought the Siaya gubernatorial seat ahead of the 2022 General Election but later exited the race after political realignments within the county.
His political ambitions did not materialise, but they marked his transition from active policing into public administration and politics.
Following the elections, President Ruto’s administration entrusted him with several government responsibilities.
In September 2023, he was appointed Chairperson of the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC) Council.
After completing that assignment, he took up a senior communications role at the National Communication Centre before becoming Acting Head of Government Communications in the ICT Ministry.
His latest elevation to Government Spokesperson is widely viewed as recognition of his extensive experience in strategic communication and public affairs.
Friends and colleagues through congratulatory messages relayed to him and seen by DNK-International describe him as articulate, outspoken and passionate about public service.
His command of both English and Kiswahili, combined with decades of experience handling sensitive security matters, has made him one of Kenya’s most accomplished government communicators.
His appointment as Government Spokesperson returns him to the national spotlight, this time as the official voice of the Kenya Kwanza administration.
With decades of policing, crisis communication and public administration behind him,Owino now shoulders the responsibility of communicating government policy and shaping the relationship between the State and the public at a time when effective communication remains central to governance.
*We wish him all the best
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🗓️ [DNK-International@July 22,2026]
