Kibaki's message on transition after his exit was mean, ruthless

By Ng’ang’a Gicumbi

One of the best definitions for marketing is "meeting needs profitably."

Indeed, Peter Drucker, a management theorist, says "the aim of marketing is to make selling superfluous". In other words, the aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well that the product or service fits him and sells itself.

Thus, marketers are skilled in stimulating demand for their products. The tone and content of President Kibaki’s brief address to the nation on the eve of the New Year was a smart marketing tool.

His message contained various products that he sold to an eager public to meet their various demand states. The verdict is still out there as to whether these ‘products’ will meet the needs of Kenyans profitably. Yet, if truth be told, Kibaki showed himself a grand master in demand management.

He touched on virtually every contentious issue in public discourse, from monetary inflation, increase in food and energy prices, devolution, smooth transition, East African Community to the war in Somalia. He did so with the convincing voice of a seasoned salesman.

Just like all demand management strategies, his message had a hidden psychology. To the keen political observer, it was essentially mean and ruthless, in tune with his opaque political persona.

One of his ‘products’ that seemed to resonate well with the public but which I aver was the most mean and ruthless was his message on political transition.

This is what the President said in part: "...after two terms in office, I am happy to oversee smooth transition to new leadership that you the people will vote in office...as we prepare for the transition milestone, let us be reminded that Kenya is one nation...elections will come and go but our nation will remain; let us safeguard our peace...Kenya is bigger than one individual..." Was the President really addressing the Kenya public or was he addressing certain political individuals who have expressed interest in the presidency?

My crystal ball tells me Kibaki does not wholly believe there will be any one who will reap from the political ‘transition milestone’ apart from him.

I say so for three reasons: One, the real major political transition milestone in Kenya occurred when Kibaki was inaugurated as Kenya’s third President, where for the first time in Kenya, the opposition assumed the reins of power.

In other words, Kibaki, the ruling party and Government outsider, made history by winning the presidency. Since it is my contention that his successor, who will also be a non-female, will certainly come from the current Coalition Government, it will be a tall order to expect this successor to ride on the crest of such transition milestone. And this is no empty speculation. All the serious presidential contenders in Government have become system guys by dint of their ministerial appointments.

I wonder what radically new style of doing Government business they will introduce if they take power. Away from Government corridors, matters are tipsy.

The only semblance of an opposition party is the fragmented William Ruto-led opposition, which is nothing more than a political misfire. Thus, in this first sense, Kibaki’s use of the term ‘transition milestone’ is politically speaking cruel and coldblooded in its application.

Two, it is during Kibaki’s tenure in office that the new Constitution was promulgated. That way, it can rightly be surmised that he is the principal driver of the new Constitution, itself a major political milestone in Kenya.

Love him or hate him, Kibaki really is the principal transition figure one who has won himself an enviable place in history for having been sworn into office using two constitutional dispensations. In this sense, he seems to be telling his audience he alone is the transition milestone.

The writer is a behavioural scientist