News Story

The Mormon Newsroom Comes to Kenya 

An important series of events for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently occurred in Nairobi. The official launch of the Kenya Mormon Newsroom was ushered in on 27 Oct 2012 by way of a media news conference that was attended by journalists from 10 media houses. The purpose of the Newsroom was explained to the media. The news conference was conducted by Kenya Public Affairs National Director Solomon Luvai.  Following a brief demonstration of the information available on the website, a question and answer session followed, involving Area Seventy Elder Hesbon Usi, Elder Thomas Hatch (Deputy Director of Public Affairs, Africa Southeast Area), Kenya Nairobi Mission President Steven H. Broadbent, Nairobi Kenya Stake President Jadmaire Ndivo, and Regional Public Affairs Director Elder Ron Pugmire, which lasted for 90 minutes. At the conclusion of this session several of the journalists requested, and departed with, a copy of the Book of Mormon.


 

The media session was followed by a fireside in which Elder Usi, Elder Hatch, and Sister Kay Hatch were the invited speakers. This event was attended by about 200 members and their friends at Upper Hill Chapel. Solomon Luvai explained that “This website is what you can turn to, to get a correct picture of what the Church is doing in this country.” This was further emphasized by Elder Hatch who said “We have so much information out there about the Church. Some of it is distorted and half truths.” At the conclusion of the fireside the attendees were able to experience “hands-on” computer demonstrations, guided by trained technicians, of the features of the Kenya Newsroom.

The Saturday afternoon media/members activity was followed on 29 Oct 2012 by a second event at the Serena Hotel. Church leaders were joined by approximately 40 opinion leaders from the government, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector at a dinner presided over by Elder Hesbon Usi.  He and Elder Thomas Hatch were the main speakers. Elder Usi highlighted some of the values of the Church centering on the family. He told the audience, “If I have children I need to teach them the values that will help them participate in society.  As they do that they actually carry along with them the good values that they learned in their families which is more important for us in the Church. So we believe if you raise a good family you can raise a good society.”


 

At the conclusion of the dinner, Ambassador Binsai Chepsengol, Director of Administration at the Ministry of State for Special Programmes Office of the President, told the guests that the government recognizes the good work the Church is doing in Kenya.

This event was also attended by officials from the Kenya Red Cross, UNICEF, United States International University, Salvation Army, International Medical Corp, and Registrar of Work Permits Ministry of Immigration, among others.

The Kenya Mormon Newsroom becomes the 47th Church Newsroom in the world, the second one in Africa to go live and the 8th in the English speaking category worldwide.

Subsequent to these events, media reports of the activities were reported by K24 TV and The People Daily.  

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