RAILA'S HUMMER, A TERRIBLE MISTAKE

I don't know where the $600,000 price tag for Raila's Hummer came from. A new Hummer costs about $50,000. A fully loaded one with all the bells and whistles and bullet proof glass is no more than $100,000. But, any way you look at it, this is seriously bad PR for Raila, a man who represents the largest slum south of the Sahara. Can you visualize a bunch of bear-foot Kibera kids chasing after the Hummer on the campaign trail? I guarantee you the media will have a field day with this one. Watch the cartoons in the coming weeks and months. American news will be similar to this:

…Raila Odinga, a Kenyan presidential candidate who drives a gas-guzzling American-made Hummer represents a constituency where an average family lives on less than one dollar a day…

The Hummer image is also contrary to the perception Raila has cultivated all his life as a man of the people. A Hummer may be less expensive than some Mercedes, BMW or Range Rover vehicles driven by other Kenyan politicians but it is a highly visible vehicle. It not only sets Raila apart from ordinary Kenyans, the Hummer also sets him apart from other politicians. This is not an issue of wealth but rather of image. And, the timing is awfully wrong.

I have been giving Raila's PR strategists high marks for their attempts to present Raila as a serious, nationally appealing presidential candidate but the Hummer issue quickly negates this. It minimizes Raila to just another celebrity with a big toy. And, this may also not augur well with some Kenyans in the diaspora who have contributed or plan to contribute towards Raila's campaign. Hummers were designed for showbiz not for serious politicians such as Raila. Celebrities use them to show off and to attract attention.

Worst of it all, this plays straight into the hands of a stereotypic section of the Kenyan population that perceives Luos as narcissistic conspicuous consumers. Raila's political opponents will use this to undermine his seriousness as a presidential candidate. Remember that Raila does not have to convince Luos that he is fit for president. It is the rest of Kenya that he needs to work on.

If I were on Raila's team, I would advise him to get rid of the Hummer immediately.

Below are three different links for Hummer prices.

http://www.carpricesecrets.com/form.php?
model_id=570&pkg=-1&PHPSESSID=888b960e5857b7dc792c59b325f07a3b

http://www.hummer.com/hummerjsp/home.jsp?seo=goo

http://www.automotive.com/new-cars/pricing/01/hummer/index.html

George Ndege (Jojo)