There is nothing as powerful as a propaganda during a political course.
The origin of powerful political propaganda is traced to Joseph Goebbels, a German Nazi politician.
He was one of Adolf Hitler's close associates and most devoted followers.
He once said that a lie told once remains a lie, but a lie told a thousand times becomes the truth.
In Nakuru, as the race for the county’s top job became heated in 2017, different political camps resulted in propaganda to build themselves or malign the competitors.
As days went by, it became clear that the battle for the coveted Jubilee ticket was narrowing down to Lee Kinyanjui and Kinuthia Mbugua.
At that point, two propaganda’s were hatched:
1. Kinyanjui had led to the suffering of drivers through the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA)
Having been appointed to chair NTSA after he lost to Kinuthia Mbugua in 2013, Kinyanjui had been at the helm of the body during a time when there was a crackdown on motorists who were flouting road rules.
This was, however, blamed on Kinyanjui.
Motorists were told of how ‘a man who had harassed them while at NTSA could not be trusted with the county’s top job’.
2. He is a Kalenjin/Kikuyu
The ‘identity’ of Governor Lee Kinyanjui has been a subject of discussion within Nakuru’s political circles.
The debate is on whether the governor is born out of Kikuyu or Kalenjin parents.
During the election, voters were told the county which is predominantly occupied by the Kikuyu and Kalenjin communities could not be led by a governor and deputy both from one of the communities.
Opponents sold Kinyanjui as a Kalenjin in predominant Kikuyu regions like Naivasha, Subukia, Molo, Gilgil among others.
At the same time, in Kalenjin dominated areas, opponents packaged Kinyanjui as a Kikuyu.
These opponents were trying hard to exploit the tribal card and deny Kinyanjui victory in the Jubilee primaries.Winning a Jubilee ticket in Nakuru, one of Jubilee’s strongholds means you will bag the seat without much sweat.
At one political meeting in Turi where Kinyanjui was meeting voters, former Molo councilor Njenga Matendo blasted those exploiting Kinyanjui’s ‘identity crisis’ telling them ‘how sure are they that those they call mum and dad are their parents’.
Kinyanjui was, however, able to overcome the propaganda and beat Mbugua and John Mututho in the primaries.