WHO'S TALLER NOW? Kisumu Central MP Ken Obura with Cord leader Raila Odinga and Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero at Shauri Moyo Primary School in Kisumu town on December 15. Photo/JUSTUS OCHIENG
Apparently, an artificial political storm has erupted over Nairobi governor Evans Kidero’s recent political activities in Luo Nyanza. Newspaper reports indicate that former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and 35 Luo MPs are incensed at the amount of money Kidero has raised in Nyanza in the past few months. Their worries might be justified given reports that Kidero plans to intensify his ‘fundraising activities’ in 2014.
Confirming the meeting at Mr. Odinga’s Bondo home on Monday, December 23, 2013, Homa Bay Senator, Otieno Kajwang’ reportedly explained that Kidero’s events ‘were aimed at dividing the Luo community.’
Although it’s difficult to see how fundraising functions that have raised tens of millions of shillings for the construction of churches and secondary schools could divide Luos, sources disclose that Mr. Odinga is so worried about Mr. Kidero’s latest political forays that he was forced to call an emergency meeting of his leading Luo sycophants at his Bondo home last Monday.
“Yes it is true that the issue about harambees was raised but it was not the agenda. There are concerns that some individuals want to use these fundraisings to gain political support in the region,” Suba MP, John Mbadi, was quoted as saying.
In other words, engaging in development initiatives to gain political support isn’t allowed in Luo Nyanza. The only route to political power is through sycophancy.
Mbita MP, Millie Odhiambo, who also attended the Bondo meeting, said Mr. Odinga’s lieutenants ‘were only worried about the source of money being donated in harambees.’
“There was concern about where this people [sic] are getting the money from because we know their salaries cannot fund such multi-million projects,” she added. Why is it that ‘sources of funds’ only become an issue when Kidero tries to raise funds to build churches and schools for poor Luos?
It’s ironic that Mr. Odinga has institutionalized fear, sycophancy and poverty as the hallmarks of his leadership. Instead of his 35 lieutenants meeting before Christmas to strategize on how to uplift Luo Nyanza from economic degradation, they spend endless time scheming how to cut to size anyone who exhibits political ambition and offers visionary leadership. Mr Odinga and his cohorts are trying to criminalize political competition and economic initiative.
Unsurprisingly, these political rumblings come as a backdrop to Kidero’s alleged ‘mistreatment’ of Raila during the governor’s jubilee dinner at the KICC two weeks ago and his purported snubbing of Raila’s trips to the US with CORD governors and Raila’s recent inauguration of the Makadara Railway.
Before that, the Kenyan media had widely reported on Kidero’s trip to China with President Uhuru Kenyatta, his many private dinner luncheons with the President, and the President’s ‘impromptu’ visit to County Hall more than one month ago.
Keen political observers have noted the implications of the discreet and not so discreet political messages that these Uhuru-Kidero liaisons are intended to communicate to Mr. Odinga, specifically, and to the country at large.
In fact, so intense has the analysis and scrutiny of these sophisticated liaisons been among political observers and Luo intellectuals that some analysts have concluded that they definitely have larger, grander and more significant implications than either Kidero or Uhuru would like us to openly speculate on at the moment.
Yet, given the frequency and public nature of their ‘engagements’ – that aren’t all necessitated by their respective leadership positions – I believe that both President Uhuru Kenyatta and Governor Kidero are also keen to pass on subliminal messages to the country that something is afoot.
Inevitably, a few political analysts have viewed the Uhuru-Kidero schemes in the context of the 2017 general elections. They argue, convincingly, that in view of what appears like structural troubles in the Jubilee Coalition; President Uhuru might be exploring ‘options’ beyond William Ruto and the URP.
Although I believe any such schemes would be strategically miscalculated and would have tremendous political repercussions on both President Uhuru and his deputy, William Ruto, clearly, as a seasoned political schemer and operative, Raila has correctly sensed danger. He knows that having unsuccessfully contested three presidential elections – and in view of the results of the latest Synovate opinion poll – most Kenyans will not support him if he were to run for president again.
“It’s time for change,” many Luos have declared. “He has to give way for another able person. There is no monarchy in Kenya,” a majority of Kenyans (at least according to Synovate) seem to agree.
However, because he has no succession plan in Luo Nyanza, ODM or CORD – which are also Kidero’s core constituencies – and since he is determined to become president ‘even for one single day,’ as his late father Jaramogi used to say, Mr. Odinga has no ‘Plan B’.
His plan B, C and D are to ensure that nobody challenges his roost in Luo Nyanza and in ODM so that come 2017, he would be crowned – not democratically nominated – their presidential candidate.
And assuming that he is able to bury Kidero’s political ambitions before they crystalise, Mr. Odinga believes that he will ultimately be declared and sworn in as president of Kenya in 2018. This is especially the case because Mr. Odinga and his supporters believe that he was robbed of victory in both 2007 and in 2013.
But my unsolicited advice to Mr. Kidero is to pursue his political ambitions without unnecessary fear. Kenya is a constitutional democracy; not a monarchy. Leaders should be elected on the basis of their vision and integrity; not on the basis of primitive primordial inclinations.
Even if his intention is only to genuinely contribute towards the economic development of the Luo as a people, Kidero shouldn’t be scared or discouraged. Only courageous leaders realize their ambitions.
Instead of scaremongering and intimidation, Mr. Odinga and his sycophants should respond to Kidero’s fundraisers by initiating more and qualitatively better development projects as a way of winning and consolidating support.
Mr. Odinga should try to organize scholarship funds for poor children and development projects for the greater good of everyone rather than engage in petty, parochial and divisive politics.
Miguna Miguna is a lawyer and author of Peeling Back the Mask: A Quest for Justice in Kenya and Kidneys for the King: Deforming the Status Quo in Kenya.
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