| Kenyans should congratulate Dr
Alfred Mutua, the official spokesman of the Narc Government. However, there are questions
regarding the manner of his appointment. A few months
ago when rumour hit the media that journalist, Salim Lone, had got the job, there was a
rejoinder from the chairman of the Public Relations Society of Kenya, citing lack of
transparency.
Many in the public relations and media industry shared her
sentiments.
For those of us who attended last year’s East African
Public Relations Conference at the Grand Regency Hotel, you may recall that it was at that
forum that Minister for Information and Communication, Raphael Tuju, broke the news that
the Government was looking for a person to be appointed an official spokesman to end the
wrangles and discordant signals coming from the Government.
Tuju then invited the PRSK fraternity to vie for the job
when it was advertised.
Let no one think that the Government fished Mutua out of
the Emirates because there were no qualified Kenyans in Kenya. It was for another reason:
People back home here, just like the Narc Government, are politically skewed for the job.
His being based outside the country at this time of acute
political polarisation was a fact to consider.
But how will Mutua work?
The Head of the Civil Service Francis Muthaura introduced
him, last week. It is also true he met the President to reassure him that he will be
allowed to do his job.
Muthaura had earlier blundered by putting out a message in
the press, to clear the names of ministers and permanent secretaries implicated in the
Anglo Leasing scam.
If Muthaura will be one of Mutua’s sources of
information, then we are in for a lot of propaganda. When it comes to government
misinformation no one does it better than public relations officers in ministries and
parastatals.
Yet these will be some of the main sources of Mutua’s
spins.
One other problem for Mutua: What is he going to do with a
Cabinet divided and acrimonious?
Which government will he be speaking for? Narc, Kanu, NAK,
LDP or Ford Kenya?
During Moi’s era, it was never left in anybody’s
doubt who was in charge and who was the Government spokesman.
It was Moi all the way and any minister issuing a policy
statement must have double-checked with Moi.
Moi detailed what used to be called the Kanu point men
whose duty was to send salvos into the political arena to gauge public reaction to issues.
Since Narc came to power, Kibaki, wittingly or unwittingly,
gave his ministers, assistant ministers and ordinary MPs the freedom to comment on almost
any policy issue.
This freedom of speech has been abused by legislators who
have been speaking on almost any issue.
If Chris Murungaru can say that Mungiki has been vanquished
once and for all yet the following day more Mungiki murders follow with a statement that
they would like to meet the Parliamentary Select Committee on Security, how will Mutua
handle it?
How will Mutua harmonise the differences between the
Ministries of Cooperatives and Agriculture on the issue of coffee?
How will Mutua handle the differences between Kenya Sugar
Authority, Kenya Revenue Authority and the agriculture ministry over the importation and
hoarding of sugar?
How will Mutua handle the numerous policy differences
emanating from the same government? To succeed he will have to do a lot of balancing act.
* The writer is a media consultant: jerry@infotrak.co.ke /
jerryokungu@hotmail.com |
