Commentary (by John Mulaa) - America these days - Poghisio faltered as Nyong’o shone in US

Ref: http://www.eastandard.net/columnists/?id=1143985520&cid=190

Published on April 27, 2008, 12:00 am

By John Mulaa

You can tell which side is better at public relations from the quality of its representation by spokespersons.

This is especially when they have to face tough audiences.

In the last two weeks, two ministers of the expanded Cabinet trotted to Washington DC, US, to attend to various matters.

They had to recapitulate their case before groups that were anxious to know more about the goings on in Kenya.

Mr Samuel Poghisio, minister for Information and Communications, was in the US to attend a conference related to his duties. He made a detour to Washington to talk to Kenyans at the Kenyan embassy.

Two days later, Prof Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o made his appearance at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) to talk about Kenya’s election aftermath and the prospects for peace through the power-sharing formula.

Poghisio gave a summary of what recently transpired in the country and offered his summations and pointers to the way forward. He specifically pointed out how he intends to deploy his ministry to "correct" the harm and loss the country has suffered in reputation as a safe tourist destination.

Poghisio’s trip to America was part of the damage-repair job.

Whether he succeeded or can ever hope to succeed is another matter. Some who listened to him found his assessments lacking in depth and vision in the light of the job at hand.

A PNU supporter at the meeting was not all too happy with the way the minister presented his case in the light of the Grand Coalition Government. The supporter said what he had just witnessed was an example of lack of appreciation of the true dimensions of the public relations problem the country is facing.

It did not help that the Ambassador, Mr Peter Ogego, was in a feisty mood, putting down one questioner who asked whether the Government would support Mr Maina Kiai’s application for the top UN human rights job.

In his interjection, Ogego was a little blunt and suggested that the questioner may have been "sent" — the Kenyan parlance for ill-motivated presence.

The atmosphere became somewhat charged but thanks to the ambassador’s deputy, the situation was quickly calmed.

Contrast this with Nyongo’s presentation at CSIS on "K" Street. The room was full even though the event started 9am on Friday, a time that is assured to deter a large turnout. What was even more intriguing was the composition of the audience: State-department types, academics from reputed institutions, and a handful of Kenyans from one side of the political divide. The grand coalition not withstanding, there were not many supporters of the other side of the former divide that has now been bridged through power sharing. That was a pity because had they showed up, they would have learned a thing or two how to move a well-educated American audience.

Nyong’o began by noting and lauding the role of the US in resolving the impasse. He enumerated why the US had to be engaged in the process and why it should remain close to Kenya.

He then went on to give a scholarly dissection of the country’s recent troubles — the moderator, Mr Joel Barkan, a noted American scholar on Kenya, called it erudite and then he took questions.

The only slight instance of discomfort during the session was a spirited exchange between the minister and an American questioner who happens to have written extensively on patterns of immigration and settlement in the Rift Valley from the onset of colonialism.

Nyong’o got a little irritable as he reminded the gentleman that had he listened carefully to his phraseology of the problematic, he would have discerned that at no time was he, the minister, suggesting that he had definitive answers. Beyond that things went well and the minister provided cogent answers to all the questions that were thrown at him, including one by yours truly, who asked whether the ruling elite in Kenya was in danger of losing its connection to the masses with the attendant possible consequences.

It happens that Nyong’o is the minister for Medical Services, a docket even he was unclear what it covers and what it excludes. What he said was certain was that he would share the ministry, formerly known as health, with Mrs Beth Mugo. Then he was off to other meetings.

For a moment after the presentation I wondered, which style would help repair faster the damage to its reputation that the country has suffered?