Kenya’s hiring of CLS & Associates, a top Washington public relations firm to improve the country’s image in the US is a positive pointer that the country’s leadership has realized the power of a good image. However, the deal that will reportedly cost the taxpayer a whooping $ 1.7 Million over the next two years begs disturbing questions: why do we have a bad image in the first place? What steps are we taking to correct the cause of the bad image?
Hiring an image firm to sanitize the country when the country can’t feed its people; has wanting governance; can’t protect its citizens against crime; can’t supply electricity; can’t supply water and is selling parcels of land to multinationals is like washing a cup on the outside and leaving its inside dirty.
A western firms for example used to sanitize the late Omar Bongo did not stop the suffering and poverty of black Gabonese villagers .It wont work in kenya.We are living in a world of blogs,live TV and constant media coverage.Hiding the truth is almost impossible.
Kenya ought to improve its PR by being accountable to the electorate; promoting ethnic cohesion; instituting an efficient and credible judicial system; and creating an environment that will spur individual innovation and productivity.
We should shame Chlopak, Leonard, Schechter and Associates for accepting kenyan tax payers money when kenyans are starving.The Kenyan government may have no shame but CLS & Associates…………..???African leaders are known for having no morals.But when people are dying of hunger and insecurity accepting money that could be used to save lives is just evil…CLS & Associates shame on you.
