Thesis
When you think and/or discuss Kenyan politics, the name Raila Amolo Odinga, hereinafter referred to as RAO, will occasionally pop up if not majorly feature in your thoughts and discussion. This is a gentleman many would hate to love. His name and ideologies evokes loyal-hate and loyal-love in equal measure. RAO is a man of a kind and not just a commoner - not in terms of hereditary nobility through the chieftainship of Ker Jaramogi Ajuma Oginga Odinga (though he gave up the position in order to become Luo political kingpin). RAO has lived through Kenya’s worst political turbulence. He has endured it all and risen to great heights. His persistence and resilience has seen him challenge regimes in a manner seldom unprecedented. This has endeared him to millions and attracted hatred proportionately. This is what led to the words of the loquacious and silver-tongued late Vice-President Michael Christopher Kijana Wamalwa: [K]enya is sharply divided between those who suffer from Raila-mania and Raila-phobia.
Still in the days of his father, RAO was a vibrant revolutionary against the oppressive Kanu regime in a de jure single-party state. He, in fact, was in parliament at the same time with his father and has also been in the house with his elder brother Oburu. RAO has suffered for Kenya and to date, I still cannot imagine how he came through it alive - considering the fate that befell the likes of Kenneth Matiba - may our good God grant him strength and longevity. He has been in exile, been detained for the longest time and tortured mercilessly.
A friend of mine says Raila is the Tragic Hero of the Aristotelian poetics like Oedipus and Thyestes. A Tragic Hero is a noble man whose unquenchable thirst to achieve a goal usually fails to materialise due to a combination of hubrils and fate. Aristotle further says that the Tragic Hero is neither a paragon of justice and virtue nor does he attract misfortune through badness or wickedness but because of accrued hamartia. "The hero is neither a villain nor a model of perfection but is basically good and decent." I bet this may sound like RAO but I beg to disagree: this to me sounds more like Jaramogi Oginga Odinga but that is a story for another day.
In the pursuit of his career, RAO, like many other politicians, has made his mistakes and these were largely inevitable. Ironically, RAO has thrived in his mistakes because he has the capability of turning them into his favour and without the rough terrain that he has gone through, he would not have achieved an eighth of what he has. RAO’s suffering for Kenya and Kenyans and his tough and unflinching stand against a hostile regime, has put him on top of many leaders. His contribution to human rights is clear. His being one of the key godfathers of Kenya’s second liberation is indisputable. His indefatigable and sterling role that led to the introduction of multi-party democracy in Kenya is worth a standing ovation (though I think ours is a capitalist nation). He delivered a Kibaki government with the late Prof. Saitoti - may his soul rest in eternal peace and may those responsible for their demise have their dark-day, if it was foulplay, that is; and with his fast-fading political spouse from Tseikuru and of course with Mama Rainbow - I envy how she marries the best political outfit right before the elections. Finally, RAO’s contribution to the conception all the way through gestation period to delivery of the new constitution, was utter dedication and goodwill. He made sure that this viviparous mammal called Kenya, delivered the constitution and I have never doubted in his genuine implementation of this document were he to be given a chance.
RAO’s thesis is that of a revolutionary leader who resonates with the poor majority; a social democrat (read communist) who advocates for equality; the voice of the hushed lot in a hostile regime; a Kenyan hero who can sacrifice everything for the wellbeing of all; the coveted change that Kenya needs.
Antithesis
RAO’s misfortunes are entirely manufactured and are inclined to political and historical injustices, his beliefs, his tough and unprecedented agitation, tribalism and the capitalists who hold Kenya hostage.
First and foremost, RAO’s misfortune can heavily be attributed to Jaramogi and Jomo differences which were publicly manifested in KondeleKisumu in 1969 where the two pioneers of Kenya’s independence verbally abused each other in public and the chaos that erupted left people dead and many injured. Due to this and many other incidences, RAO’s ascension to power is largely feared especially in Mt. Kenya region. His father’s bitterness with Kenyatta, and the Luo-Kikuyu hatred that spans to almost five decades, cannot allow the Mt. Kenya region vote him in. In fact, people from the Mountain region took a bitter oath against the Lake region.
RAO’s fight with retired president Daniel Moi, went a notch higher. RAO has really suffered under Moi regime to a point it seems personal. With all the vast wealth of the first two families, RAO’s ideologies of communism, and with his perceived bitterness and anticipated vengefulness, he sends shivers down the spines of many a wealthy people and even the peasants of the Mt. Kenya region. His revolutionary nature do not augur well with the rich and populous Gema community.
To cut the long story short, and I care less if you take my analysis with a pinch of salt, RAO can never be allowed to become a president in Kenya and never will be. This is something the Deputy President Hon. Ruto can concur with me. He learnt this lesson early enough and left for greener pastures. Another thing I bet Ruto knows is where power comes from - the Mt. Kenya Region. For Ruto and anyone to become a president in Kenya, one must be accepted by the Mt. Kenya leaders - leave alone the commoners. All other Kenyans may be against you, but if you have the Mt. Kenya leaders on your side, you will win. Period.
Synthesis
Time has come, my favourite opposition-politician Hon. RAO. It’s time to leave elective politics. Groom and bless younger leaders in your party and region so that economic and political development may be realised. Shower them with guidance and your political experiences so that they may stand to be counted as leaders. It is time for you to take other roles of noble people like
peace missions in Africa and beyond. Seek to address multicultural and diversity as a social and political process aimed at realising justice for minorities who have been treated unfairly and marginalised. Address the tribal rifts by exploring avenues in bridging the gap between the wealthy and the poor majority. As a liberal leader, embrace your philosophy to look at government’s obligation to assure individual freedom in order to make public endeavour synonymous with the government endeavour. You can do so without elective politics - assume the role of a true statesman. Use your connections in Africa and the world at large to help Kenyans in any capacity that you can and we will shower you will unimaginable respect and prayers. You are a hero but not a tragic one. Make us proud.
Pass the baton to the young turks, and may be.....may be one day one of your well-groomed juniors will get the blessings of the power-owners and be made a senior. Long live RAO.
May these words of Theodore Roosevelt keep you going:
“It’s not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs; who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms and great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy
cause; who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
By Joseph Karimoni
