In marketing branding reigns supreme. Branding is one of the most effective marketing tool (not the only one) used in business for marketing and selling products. Branding is first and foremost about recognition and acceptability. When customers, for instance, fall over each other to buy a Mercedes Benz, a Calvin Klein item, Coca Cola drink or Kilimanjaro lager, etc, it is possibly more to do with a “brand” than other product attributes. This, however, does not necessarily mean that these brand merchandise, for example, are the best in the marketplace. It is quite possible that there could even be better products out there but because they lack brand recognition they are not sought after that much.
In the human world we have brand personalities who command a lot marketing power but in actual fact may not be the best. Examples abound. Take the former Spice Girls of United Kingdom for starters. This was a group of four British girls (including Victoria Beckham) who took the music world off its feet in the 1990s. It is arguably said that the spice girls were quite successful as a “brand” and less as a singing outfit. In other words their record sales were boosted by the “euphoria” about the spice girls than the appeal (if you like) of their songs!
Soccer Superstar David Beckham is more of “brand” than a real soccer sensation in the likes of Pele, Maradona or Zenadine Zidane. Beckham is reportedly earning more than any footballer in the world at his current American soccer club namely Galaxy in the USA. In fact Galaxy lured Beckham from his former club, Real Madrid not because of his soccer talents he could bring to the club but it was anticipated that because of his brand power he could invigorate the soccer interest in the USA which is currently lacking. If my memory serves me right, actor Will Smith has never taken a prestigious Oscar prize home but his “brand” supremacy makes him the highest paid actor in Hollywood. The list goes on and on. By the way this is not to take anything away from these great personalities. Indeed what they have achieved individually is no mean feat. However, it simply underscores the fact that some people can be more successful as a “brand” and not what they can actually deliver in their actual work.
This brings me to politics. The recent visit to the USA by President Jakaya Kikwete has raised a lot of eye brows. The local newspapers have reported that while President Kwikwete was in the USA for a non-state visit he was invited to pay a courtesy call to the White House. This act alone was enough to send political jitters and cause tantrum particularly in Kenya with the Kenyan press going berserk, screaming and cursing! Reason? Why should Kikwete be the first African President to have a “cup of tea” with USA President Barack Obama? Why not President Kibaki or even Prime Minister Raila Odinga( who happened to be in the USA at the same time) who should automatically be given the priority of meeting the USA President whom they consider to be a man from their soil? Does President Kikwete merit this honour in the first place?
In my view the Kenyan Press was just created a storm in a tea cup for nothing. For many, Kikwete’s visit to the White House was not a complete surprise. Over a decade Mr. Kikwete has created for himself a niche on the international political landscape. Firstly, as a foreign minister of Tanzania (1995-2005) , arguably one of the African countries highly regarded in the world, Mr. Kikwete’s face is very familiar in the corridors of power the world over compared to that of his counterpart across the border. I believe we are the same hymn page with our Kenyan friends on this particular aspect.
Secondly, unlike the Kenyan President our President is a globe trotting socialite. President Kikwete’s critics accuse him of leading a jet-set kind of life at the expense pressing domestic issues. However, State House and his dyed-in-the-wool supporters are adamant that indeed Kikwete’s foreign trips are not in vain after all. That while he is abroad the President is not on a sojourn as such but he is always busy passing around a “bowl” whose benefits are obvious for all who have “eyes” to see. We can debate the merits and demerits of President Kiwete’s frequent trips abroad until the cows come home without reaching a consensus. However, me thinks that these trips have helped Mr. Kikwete to develop a strong rapport and network (mtandao!) with his counterparts around the world which has gradually given him a recognition of some sort. Kikwete is now a kind of politician whom world leaders would like to meet when such a chance arises. In my view that is how President Kikwete found himself at the Oval office, so our Kenyan compatriots should not loose sleep over this.
On the domestic scene, Mr. Kikwete’s likeability and charm is simply mind boggling. Listen to this. In 1995 Mr. Kikwete missed the Presidency just by a whisker! From relative obscurity Kikwete suddenly become a front runner during 1995 CCM primaries in Dodoma to determine the CCM presidential candidate for 1995 general elections. In the first round he trounced seasoned politicians including former Prime Minister Clleopa Msuya and Benjamin Mkapa only to be persuaded by former President J.K Nyerere to step aside. The rest as they say is history. This alone was enough to leave political observers completely bewildered!
Mr. Kikwete is a patient bird. He bid for his time and during 2005 CCM primaries fought a mother of all political battles. With former Prime Minister and once upon a time eminent person, John Malecela down and out of the race to determine the presidential candidate for CCM for 2005 general elections, Kikwete not only outwitted former Prime Minister who never made it to final round but was triumphant by giving his two opponents a bloody nose. Both Ambassador Salim H. Salim and Hon Mr. Mark Mwandosya came a distant first and second runner up respectively in terms of casted votes. How could Kikwete edge out a political pedigree like Dr. Salim? Granted, there are serious allegations of mud slinging and other under hand methods during the campaign but can this alone explain a wide margin of the votes between the victor and the vanquished? Your guess is as good as mine.
Enter 2005 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections. The debate-shy CCM candidate (Kikwete) even went on to dodge the Presidential Debate on very flimsy excuses. Critics attacked him of fearing to take the heat from his fiery and eloquent opponents like Prof. Ibrahim Lipumba, Augustine Mrema and Freeman Mbowe. This weakness alone could have been sufficient to blemish his chances of getting a clear cut victory. Well, not according to the Tanzania electorates because Mr. Kikwete went on to win this election big time. He got a landslide of over 80%, just to be precise! The results shocked and awed political observers. Was this victory a product of Kikwete’s political astuteness, hard work or something else?
However, the opposition and critics contend that Kikwete and CCM stole 2005 election through bribery and rampant misuse of public resources. Although there is some merit on these allegations but this could only be one of the factors in Kikwete’s favour, not the decisive one. Truth to be told, the elections polls had consistently indicated that Kikwete was heading for a landslide victory. Part of answers to his conquest, by and large, lies somewhere else as we shall discern shortly.
Fast forward. Assured of mass support and riding on immense popularity, President Kikwete entered State House with gusto and his political engine machine firing on all six cylinders. Kikwete hit the ground running and in a short span of time his administration was able to clamp down on armed robbery. A crime which had been a menace during President Mkapa’s tenure. The President went into overdrive mode by launching a major campaign to raise funds to build more class rooms for secondary school pupils who have hitherto missed out due to lack of facilities. Everything seemed to be in tandem with his new rule book entitled “new vigour, new zeal and new speed”.
But alas! This was short lived because severe drought struck soon thereafter resulting into serious scarcity of food and water in the country. The country was plunged into darkness and industrial production slumped to low levels due to inadequate electricity. As the say, misfortunes don’t come in singles. The administration’s endeavors to acquire emergency power to alleviate the power crisis was bungled and one thing lead to another until the buck stopped at the Prime Minister. As a result Prime Minister Lowassa was went packing, unceremoniously, so to speak.
Without his most right hand man, President was badly handicapped. Dear reader let us pause and reflect for a moment. President Kikwete without Lowassa at his beck and call is like the biblical Moses leading the Israelites from Egypt to the promised land of Canaan without Aaron. Just imagine if Aaron went missing at the critical moment at Mount Sinai! Yes, you guessed right because it would have been disastrous for Moses. No wonder the promised “better life for all Tanzanians” ( manna from heaven ?) has turned into a pipedream because Lowassa (JK’s Aaron? ) is “missing in action” . The ensuing corruption scandals exposed by the opposition has, to a great extent, rolled Kikwete’s administration into the mud. As a result of the foregoing the population is apprehensive and disenchanted with his administration’s performance this far.
However, according the recent research done by Research And Education for Democracy in Tanzania ( REDET) found out that the ruling party CCM has gradually (since 2005 general elections) been losing ground in terms of popularity to the opposition because the population is generally getting disillusioned by its policies and conduct. Similarly, Kikwete’s administration especially his ministers have come under spotlight for not being able to perform and deliver. Ironically, while Kikwete’s party and ministers are getting a flak from the public, the President’s popularity has somehow remained unfazed!
According to REDET, President Kikwete, for good measure, would in fact win landslide if the presidential elections were held at this point in time! Question is: Why is President Kikwete still popular with the public while his party, CCM and his ministers are doing so badly? It is simple. Kikwete has over the time created an image of acceptability and adorability forte for himself. Results or no results, love or loathe him, Kikwete is a “brand” in himself which resonates very well with the public mood at large. Kikwete is a brand politician, no more no less and that what makes him tick.That is why, in my view, if Kikwete stands again on a CCM ticket he will win 2010 elections hands down. Not because he can deliver but due to his brand power.
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Yona Fares Maro
I.T. Specialist and Digital Security Consultan
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Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:20:49 -0700
From: Yona Fares Maro
Subject: Discovering Kikwete: Is he a “brand” politician?