Case Study: Maligned Reputations In The Media - The Governments Of Kenya And Sudan:

The Issue:

In 2001, the New York Times (NYT) published a standard trope political assassination piece that maligned Kenya's then President, Daniel arap Moi, severely as he approached the end of his presidency.

The article, not surprisingly, roused uproar and debate among the Kenyan government about the fairness of the accusations.

In a similar vein, a journalist from The Economist magazine wrote a lengthy briefing in 2007 that sullied the reputation of the Sudanese government further. Despite the journalist having untrammelled access to high-ranking government officials within the country, the briefing was perceived as biased by Khartoum.

Faced with these damaging portrayals, both governments were eager to refute the claims and provide a more nuanced perspective on critical issues.

Our Solution:

Skills Applied: Reputation Protection, Media Relations, Crisis Management, Public Affairs

Ahmed Badawi, a strategic communications consultant for both the Kenyan and Sudanese governments at separate times, ghost wrote rapid response letters, using his media connections to ensure prompt publication.

The Impact:

Both the New York Times/International Herald Tribune and The Economist published the rebuttals in their letter’s sections - without making any significant changes; see here for the published responses:

NYT Letters to the Editor – Kenya

The Economist Letters – Sudan

Ahmed Badawi, in particular, used endorsements skilfully from third parties (the US Department of State for Kenya and the IMF, the UN’s World Food Programme, and The International Committee for The Red Cross for Sudan) to counter the criticisms in the articles, reshape the overall story, and rebuild the reputation of his clients.