Soft power needed to end Meru squabbles

Posted byDr. Daniel Mutegi Giti, PhD.Posted inUncategorized

Soft power needed to end Meru squabbles

Meru county, which has an area of 7,006km2 of which 972.3km2 is set aside as forest and a population of 1.55 million people, has experienced numerous squabbles of late, which could cloud the many achievements and successes the county is known for. According to the 2023 county Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contribution to the national wealth, Meru County contributed Kenya shillings 632,866 and hence the sixth after Nairobi, Nakuru, Kiambu, Mombasa and Machakos. The county has immense potential in agriculture, forestry and fishing; it has a CBK currency centre in Meru town and immense investment profile, in addition to producing high ranking government officials in all arms of government over the years, intellectuals and leaders in all walks of life over time, including Field Marshals Musa Mwariama and Simon M’Marete “Baimungi” instrumental in Kenya’s independence.

These squabbles affect the vulnerable in society, who end up missing out developments’ programmes and services as leaders’ bicker. These squabbles are because of inappropriate application of soft power and African ideals on Ubuntu and leadership ethos. Leaders need to leverage on the power of what Professor Joseph Nye of Harvard University, called the soft power, which is the ability to attract and co-opt rather than coerce and intimidate, aspects which are common in the hard power approach. Hard power tactics have been practiced for long because at the face value, they appear as though they are quick fixes to conflicts and development approaches.  Leaders can use soft power to shape and re-orient opinions and drive progress through appeal and attraction. According to Prof. Nye, “the best propaganda is not propaganda” and that in the information age we live in, “credibility is the scarcest resource”.

Most of the conflicts are related to positions of power, finance and influence, but through soft power, leaders can make their opponents to agree with them in the process, increasing their chances of getting what they have wanted all along done without breaking a sweet. A leader using soft power will be inclined to use diplomacy, strategic communication, assistance to people, civic actions, economic reconstruction and development, broad based consultation, respect for others and consumption of sound advice all of which pull and attracts people and opponents to their train of thought. In soft power, they will influence the behaviour of others and hence get the outcomes what they seek to achieve. Soft power is king in the current world with many interests, well-educated population, high internet connectivity hence spread of more knowledge and information. It is time leaders embraced soft power and innovative governance to reduce squabbles. Dr Giti is an urban management, public – private partnerships (PPP) and environment specialist. mutegigiti@gmail.com , @danielgiti

Published by Dr. Daniel Mutegi Giti, PhD.

I hold a Ph.D. in Urban Management; Master of Urban Management and Post Graduate Diploma in Housing from the University of Nairobi. My Undergraduate was a Geography major and Sociology minor from Egerton University. I am an Assistant Director for Housing - Slum Upgrading, State Department for Housing and Urban Development, within the Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing, Urban Development and Public works in Kenya. I have hands on experience on matters housing and urban development process in Kenya, including developing skills necessary to tackle the underfunding of housing and urban sectors through innovative financing and greater private sector participation through models like application of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) in the infrastructure and housing development in Kenya and Africa.

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