NO MORE PR-ACT NOW!

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‘That is just PR.’, this is a statement I heard during one of the president’s speeches to the nation. If I can remember well, it was after the terrorist attacks that seemingly we have grown prone to. Public Relations (PR) indeed.

Life in its totality, is punctuated with different events. Some good, others, not so palatable. Times when beliefs are tested. Morals are shaken - trying times. In PR we call this, the start of a crisis.

As a country we are at the tipping point-with so many crisis potshots being aimed at us. Insecurity has become the order of the day. From where I am standing, the tipping point is nigh.

Over the past few months, we have lost so many of our country men and women, children inclusive to terrorism. With the latest being the Gikomba-twin blasts that left 10 for dead. Are you convinced that we are at the tipping point? You better be. Unless something is done, and done fast.

A midst all these, people have to act. Due to the failure and late response to situations, situations critical as acting on intelligence gathered beforehand, on the part of those responsible-the weight has to be carried by a few. Only a few, who specialize in Communication and PR. At least with the aim of convincing the few that, ‘Hey, we are doing something. It is not to our liking to have people die every day.’ Then whose liking is it?

Why aren't the security systems in the country not comparing notes with countries that have fought terror and actually won? You ask. A solid advice that came from Prof. PLO former anti-graft czar.

As PR professionals, we too need to roll up our sleeves and get to work. The big question is, where do we start? In a country, a government, a ministry that is not taking life as being priority number one above all else. A country where we walk the streets afraid, yet we have to, for despite times being hard, bread must be put on the table regardless of whether you lose your leg or arm in the process. Where do we seriously start from, when crisis has become common place?

Do we call for a press conference? Do we prepare public service announcements to be aired on our mainstream media? Do we appear at the scene with branded merchandise written on – Let us remain vigilant!? Do we call the families of the deceased and offer our deepest condolences or better yet, book space on our dailies to publish flowery obituaries of the departed? What do we do? What would you do?

PR is malleable and as we know PR professionals are jacks of all trades. We are needed in all situations and we melt into them and soon become part of it. However, we are needed more in times of crisis-like now! However truth be told, just as wells run dry, so do we. There are situations where even the best PR strategy fails to meet its objective. The strategy together with those executing it go numb.

Let us take a company for instance, if there is a crisis for the very first time-then we will be anxious to neutralize it and regain our client’s confidence. Our image will remain intact. It will be as if nothing ever happened. But if the PR department keeps preparing strategies to combat crisis in an organization, day in day out, week in week out, month in month out and year in year out-it gets boring. It simply fails to work. PR will fail to rise to the occasion. Who will you blame as the chief?

This is the state in which our Ministry of Internal Security has come to. Having time and again breaking news of attacks all over the country is in no way reassuring. Honestly the PR professionals in this ministry, if they exist and are qualified, are doing something. For to maintain whatever little he has left, as tainted as the image of the cabinet secretary is, they are the busiest department in the whole government.

But this time, it’s wise to know that at times like this even PR fails. So Cabinet Secretary and the government in totality, do not bank on PR. I advise that you move from mere ‘Kusema’ and dive into the ‘Kutenda’ part. It is long overdue.

Unless solutions to the problem-insecurity is found, then forget trying to lure the public into your corner, through carefully thought out PR strategies. For if you didn't know, the public is no longer in your corner. They dismantled it for fear of being blown away whilst counting on you and your empty rhetoric.

In the words of Leonardo da Vinci, ‘I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough. We must apply. Being willing is not enough we must do.’ As a PR consultant, my advice will be, act now!