By Onesmus N
The campaign Senator Mike Sonko is running for Nairobi Governor is proving to be a master stroke. While everyone else seems to be unsuccessfully appealing to the minds and tribes of the voters, Sonko has perfected the art of appealing to the hearts of the people and has created an emotional bond with his base.
In a well thought out and crafted EID celebration gift to the Muslim community in Nairobi, Sonko rounded up two thousand Muslim women from 64 Mosques from lower Nairobi and gifted them with foods and cash to make a feast for their families. He gifted the 64 Imams with more than 330 goats (5 goats each) to make a feast for their faithful at their mosques.
The art in Sonko’s method is pure political genius. While other candidates have been posing in Kanzus and taking photos at low key evening Iftar celebrations, in one single move, Sonko ensured his generosity will be mentioned in almost every mosque and every Muslim household. By appealing to women with whom it is easier to make bonds and reach out to whole families, Sonko ensured he is building a constituency he can rely on and that can’t let him down.
In the accompanying speech after prayers with the Imams, Sonko declared that his mother was a Muslim and went on to show a genuine understanding of Islam and its ways. It was an event that hit 9 on the political Richter scale. This approach which seems natural to Sonko and genuine to the people will continue to endear him to the masses as it makes everybody feel something rather than hear something. People forget what you say but they never forget how you made them feel.
The spoilt establishment class with all the education it likes to appeal to could not in all the total of their degrees and money match Sonko’s reach to even a percentage point. The Nyayo Stadium incident was pure political class. It is what is making Sonko’s candidature almost inevitable. Left to build all these traction this far and with thirteen months to go, it will be almost impossible to remove Sonko from the race without disastrous consequences.
It therefore is increasingly looking like Governor Mike Sonko is a reality we need to accustom ourselves to. This leave us with one question, who is likely to be Sonko’s running mate and who would ensure their ticket is a slum dunk? Tell us your pivk in the comment section below>>>
Leave a Reply