MEDIA STRATEGY

OBJECTIVES

Portray Kibaki and the PNU Coalition

as:

The leaders that can be trusted to

deliver;

As the promise that people can

believe in;

As the only option

Audience

• 14.5million voters
• 60% under 35 old – Youth
• 50% are women
• Regions
• Low-income
• Ethnically marginalised

constituencies

Choosing the battleground

• Stronger and proactive

communications. Need to stop
responding to attacks from
Opposition as this removes the
focus from the issues we want
aired – set our own agenda

• Manage the media effectively and

proactively.

Our messages need to:-

1.

Maintain the conversion of the converted

– keep sending the messages about

economic recovery etc (The Track

Record)

2.

Convert the unconverted – tap into their

dreams and aspirations, wealth and

education (The Future)

3.

Sow seeds of doubt in Raila and Kalonzo

supporters, particularly urban ones (The

Offensive)

4.

Get the converted onto their feet and

into the polling booths. Voter apathy

would affect Mwai Kibaki more than the

other candidates (The March Forward)

Themes

• The Track Record
• The Future
• The Offensive
• The March Forward

Develop and transmit messages with
these themes in mind. Read from one

script.

Language

• Inspiring – “Biblical” language, e.g.

portraying Kenya at a road junction

with two roads. The narrow one which

is hard at times but which leads to the

“promised land” and the wide and

easy one which eventually leads to

disaster and ruin.

• Draw on the African tradition of folk

tales etc to capture people’s

imagination and speak to their hearts

IMAGERY

Visual – Allow the listener a front row

seat into the candidate’s mind and

vision. Do this with an easily

identifiable image.

A “Kibaki” Bus. Half of the bus should

be travelling on a smooth tarmacked

road, the other half should be on a

potholed road, showing the transition

made under Kibaki’s leadership.

The Bus: Image can be used to

transmit different messages

• Kibaki is the driver of this progressive bus-

displaying the good track record, creating a
visual and emotional connection to the
factual. No other driver can get Kenya to
the promised land

• MoU – No need for a tout, speak to the

driver directly

• Invite naysayers to the front of the bus to

see the progress

• Negatives being kicked off the bus –

corruption, tribalism etc

PERSONAL APPEAL

Repackaging “Wanjiku”

The electorate need an invention they

can

identify with easily. An imaginary person

who

can represent them and whose dreams

and

aspirations match their own.

Enter Mutiso

• Average Kenyan, ambitious and hard-

working, rural or urban but educated. A
person with aspirations for a better life.

• Mutiso is on the Bus which is on the Road
• When criticism is made of other, enter

our “man” e.g. what has Raila/Kalonzo
done for Mutiso?

• Connection with all the messages,

combine the Track Record, The Future,
The Offensive and the March Forward

Packaging Mwai Kibaki

• Age - Messages reinforcing Mr Kibaki’s

ability, suitability and desire for the job.

• Accessibility - Involvement in the

community. Pictures of him riding in a
matatu and talking to people for instance.
Needs to show that he wants to be President

• Company – A leader of vision, younger, more

acceptable leaders and perhaps that kid
who sat in for the Budget

Using emotion effectively as a

message

Using tactical emotional “outbursts” will portray the

candidate as a man who can be passionate. People

respond to those who encapsulate core

characteristics of a human being, such as anger,

humour and passion. Such a person is charismatic and

is able to connect with other people through the

medium of human nature. The electorate will feel that

you understand them, that they can identify with you

and that they can trust you. Anger for instance must

be sincere but controlled. Gestures rather than words

are a better bet, in order to avoid getting out of hand

and the resultant embarrassment. Hitting the

table/other hand with your fist, removing your tie in

frustration at times will give the air of one who is

moved by a situation. People will respond. Insults and

personal attacks must be avoided at all costs.

National Issues

• Trust (Kibaki can be trusted, Raila &

Kalonzo untrustworthy)

• Tribalism (Kibaki for national unity, Raila is

a Kikuyu hater

• Unemployment (Econ. Growth under

Kibaki will lead to creation of employment)

• Insecurity
• Corruption
• Cost of Living