Many people would agree with the assertion that language is dynamic and quite often, ordinary words may acquire different meanings.
Every election in this country and in other countries would easily spring up new words with different meanings to accelerate proper political messaging for candidates and their parties or coalitions.
That has been the case with words like “Hustle” and “hustling” in this election.
They ruled the political space and informed political messaging by the William Ruto-led team. The long wait for the battle of the soul of Kenya came to a close once the IEBC announced the winner of this year’s presidential election. The big question is: how did the president-elect manage public expectations through the popular mantra dubbed the “hustler narrative” to win the election?
Keen observers must have realised that for a long time, the DP has been good at branding himself and his team. From the campaigns of 2017, the DP fashioned his campaigns as a commoner, who was ready to carry the aspiration of ordinary Kenyans.
Nearly every Kenyan has come to know that Ruto was a chicken seller at some point and of course he still does poultry farming in his rural home.
The man from Sugoi packaged himself as ordinary folk who had braced for tough times to become the Deputy President twice under the same ticket with President Uhuru Kenyatta. The choice of a wheelbarrow as a key symbol for his UDA party made it to be easily recognized among other well-established and old political parties.
As a new party, it was good to quickly acquire a symbol that could easily resonate with all cadres of people, including the young and the old.
Many analysts were hesitant to embrace the hustler narrative mantra on account that it was likely to create class division and war among Kenyans. But Ruto managed to use the slightest opportunity to explain to his opponents that hustling was a word associated with hardworking Kenyans irrespective of the differences in the economic capabilities for individual citizens.
It was also interesting to see how the hustler narrative evolved into an economic model dubbed the “bottom-up economic model.” With this assertion, a good number of Kenyans felt the government had for a long time isolated those who are below the economic pyramid.
Simply put, the Ruto-led wing emphasized on the need to give attention to the needs of the ordinary people at the bottom of the economic pyramid. The promise for the hustler fund intentioned to support the small and medium enterprises was a masterstroke that fueled acceptability of the bottom-up economic model.
To add to that, the pangs of Covid-19 and other economic hardships hardened the resolve of ordinary Kenyans against most of the government policies that appeared to oppress the populace. The decision by the government to arbitrarily evict business communities in some parts of Nairobi during the height of Covid-19 pandemic served to galvanize the support for Ruto.
The high cost of living aggravated by high fuel prices and high food prices meant basic commodities were out of reach for most Kenyans. This sad state of affairs favoured the Deputy President’s wing, which had fallen out with the President.
Attempts by the government to lower prices for maize flour in the sunset days of the campaigns were perceived to be political baits to hoodwink citizens to vote in a particular manner. The bottom-up economic model remained central in the campaigns of the Kenya Kwanza brigade.
Joining hands with parties such as Moses Wetang'ula’s Ford Kenya and Musalia Mudavadi’s ANC was also a major plus for the president-elect’s campaigns.
He was able to quickly shed off the lone ranger tag that appeared to be associated with him after the Azimio la Umoja coalition was mooted. This helped Ruto to penetrate Raila’s perceived traditional strongholds with a particular focus on the Western Kenya vote.
Focus now shifts to implementation of the many pledges the Kenya Kwanza Alliance team promised Kenyans. It is time to heal the country and move Kenya to the next competitive level. In my considered view, the challenges that face this country will require concerted efforts of all people of goodwill and it will fall upon the men and women who will have a chance to run this country to do their very best.
Eric Nakhurenya is a law and public policy consultant
