Social media-savvy chief earns degree in counselling

Lanet Umoja Location Chief Francis Kariuki speaking to the press after his graduation with a Degree in Counseling Psychology at the Mount Kenya University main Campus in Thika on Friday.The chief uses twitter to fight crime and other social ill in his location.PHOTO BY KAMAU MAICHUHIE.

He came into the limelight a few years ago as the provincial administrator who had embraced the social media to fight crime, which  had reached alarming levels in his location.

Lanet Umoja location Chief Francis Kariuki (pictured) resorted to Twitter to track missing sheep, stop home invasions by thugs, trace stolen goods and missing people, among others.

As a result of being social media-savvy, Chief Kariuki says his tweets have helped bring down the crime rate in Lanet and Umoja.

He also uses Twitter to send messages of hope, especially to the young and unemployed.

To further enhance his administrative skills, in 2012 he decided to enrol for a degree course in Counselling Psychology at Mount Kenya University (MKU).

Last Friday, the administrator was among the 9,535 graduands who were conferred with degrees and diplomas during the university's eighth graduation ceremony held at the institution's main campus in Thika.

Speaking to The Standard, Mr Kariuki said he decided to use social media to fight crime in his location after he realised many people were using the platform to communicate.

The elated administrator said lack of proper communication skills among provincial administrators has been a major cause of rifts between them and the residents.

"I had to look for other unique and handy ways to reach many people and in this digital era. I went for Twitter, a site that has taken me places and improved my working standards," Kariuki said.

In recognition of his work, the administrator who today commands over 50,000 Tweeter followers has won several awards; notably the Tweet of the Year at the annual Social Media Awards (Soma) and the Giraffe Heroes Award.

In 2012, he made a presentation on the use of social media in improving human rights at the UNHCR World Human Rights Day in Switzerland. In 2013, he spoke at the Google Ideas Conference in New York, USA.

He also made a presentation on the use of twitter as a tool for community policing at the Social Media & Internet Law Enforcement Conference in Tampa, Florida, USA.

The chief, who has now enrolled for a Masters Degree in Counselling Psychology, said he would use the knowledge acquired to help solve psychological problems that affect the residents.

MKU founder Simon Gicharu commended the chief, saying he had set the pace for other administrators to embrace the changing trends in technology.

"I challenge other administrators to enrol in institutions of higher learning in order to enhance and improve their administrative skills," said Gicharu.