The challenge

 

In the run-up to the legislative and presidential elections in Ghana of December 2016, KRL was hired as a communications and general political consultant by the campaign of Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party. The NPP had been out of power for eight years following two unsuccessful presidential bids by Akufo-Addo.

 

An electorate frustrated by the sluggish economy and mismanaged power sector gave the opposition an edge, but the incumbent still had advantages in terms of media access and campaign resources; polls showed a significant proportion of the population undecided.  Given the tight nature of the election, there were concerns over potential manipulation of the electoral process, generating a charged political environment.

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The KRL approach

 

Through an extended period of embedding on the campaign trail, KRL integrated into operational units of the local team. KRL consultants helped craft a communications strategy using polling results and other forms of local data, managed local media monitoring and message coordination, arranged interviews with the foreign press, prepared the candidate for speaking events and helped with outreach efforts to voters and party poll watchers.

 

KRL also encouraged direct lines of communication between the campaign and election observers to help build confidence among all stakeholders in the process. Thanks to a combination of international  observation, a robust party poll-watching effort, and careful management of internal campaign dynamics, KRL was instrumental in diffusing tensions in the post-selection period and helping to manage a peaceful transition.