How not to brand our counties

The 2010 Constitution gave us devolution. The country was divided into 47 counties that closely mirrored the old districts.

The former districts were better known for their tribal identity. Once you mentioned your district of origin, it was easy to pigeon-hole you into one of the many Kenyan tribes. The name tribe is now being replaced by a more politically correct term – community.

Counties have been busy developing their new identities through rebranding. Websites are a great place to search for new identities; I sampled a few.

Deepen appreciation

Nakuru’s site opens with a photo of Miss Nakuru. Does it mean it is the best place to look for a wife? Why not capture the pioneering spirit in agriculture, the legacy of the Delameres? What of Menengai and the lake? I hear the town was once the cleanest in Kenya.

Kiambu welcomes you with a photo of Fourteen Falls, followed by several other photos of tea and pineapple plantations. The website correctly portrays the county. Proximity to the capital, Nairobi, and its being home to two presidents would be captivating, or would this be construed as bragging? Reminding us of the pioneering encounter with the white man would deepen our appreciation of Kiambu.

Kisumu welcomes you with the photo of a Japanese senator’s visit to the county. This is then followed by photos of the governor’s engagements. But what of the railway terminus? Why not declare Kisumu East Africa’s geographical centre?

In Embu, the website’s first photo has pupils performing for the governor. It has a catchy tag, ‘The land of opportunities’, which sounds very American. What is Embu famous for? What can they hinge on to capture our attention?

In Mombasa, there are lots of photos of the governor meeting his constituents. I was looking for the long history of Mombasa, the legacy of the Portuguese and Arabs, a portrait of the city as a melting pot of cultures. Where is Fort Jesus?

Turkana’s site is great, with a photo of a crater lake and ‘Welcome To Turkana County, The Origin Of Mankind’ in the background. This site makes one want to visit the county. It correctly captures the spirit of Turkana County, but it could also leverage on its proximity to Sudan, Uganda and Ethiopia.

The Narok County site is very plain, and has athletes, not photos of the famous Maasai Mara, appearing somewhere at the bottom. There is a tab that leads to the national park, but this should be the hook. What about it being a bread basket?

The rising sun welcomes you to city of Nairobi, which goes with its tag as the ‘Green City in the Sun’. But one wishes the international nature of the city was better captured. This would take care of the ambiguous identity of the city as both the capital and a county. Where is the UN and historical buildings, some of which are more than 100 years old?

Mandera first photos shows maize growing, with the tag, ‘A county of unlimited opportunities and endless possibilities’. This tag goes well with the image of maize growing in the desert. Some camels are on the website, but they do not dominate. How can Mandera forget to highlight its proximity to Ethiopia and Somalia? It also seems to me that the drier the county, the better the branding.

Busia has a photo of the sunset and a canoe on the lake, with the tag, ‘United for development’. Photos of development projects follow. Why subdue the internationalness of this county that borders Uganda?

Why is President Moi missing from Baringo County’s site? Why is President Kibaki missing from Nyeri’s?

Nyandarua’s website is plain, with the tag, ‘Pamoja tujijenge’. The first photo shows the governor loading rubbish into a lorry. The last time I drove through Nyandarua, I was welcomed by a billboard written, ‘Nyandarua County - Land of Milk & Potatoes’. How can they use such a tag in a county that is home to the world-famous Happy Valley and freedom fighters, not forgetting the beautiful Aberdares and the sources of rivers, from Tana to Ewaso Nyiro? Why reinforce a stereotype?

More homework

Machakos’ site is also plain, with photos of the governor at various functions. I thought I would find a statement like, ‘Welcome to Kenya’s first capital city’. The site is not as vibrant as the county is in the news.

Lamu has a photo of dhows sailing, a great photo, but where is its Unesco heritage site inscription?

My choice of counties was random, and do not take offence if your county is not mentioned.

The sample shows that counties need to do more homework in branding themselves and getting new identities. This will take time.

The Americans states that inspired our devolution took time to develop identities and economies.

By the way, Thomas C Frohlich et al (2016) note that Mississippi is the poorest state, with a median household income of $40,593 (Sh4.2 million), while Maryland is the richest, with a median household income of $75,847 (Sh7.9 million). Which Kenyan county will become Mississippi or Maryland? Share your guesses with me.

The writer is senior lecturer, University of Nairobi.

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