As I write this, events are still unfolding after the bombshell revelation concerning Raila and his father Jaramogi Oginga Odinga's involvement in the failed coup of August 1st 1982.
In a Raila biography written by Nigerian, Babafemi Badejo that would have been the ideal campaign tool and weapon in his bid for the presidency, Agwambo confirms what many have suspected all along. And that is the fact that he was involved in the 1982 coup attempt to topple President Moi's constitutionally established government.
Local newspaper columnists have either completely missed the point or have deliberately pretended not to see it. Raila should never have allowed the book to be published in the first place. While everybody would like the truth to come out, these revelations have for all intents and purposes ended any serious chances Raila ever had of becoming the next president of Kenya.
On a personal level I love Raila. In my book he is the candidate with the cleanest record out of all those who have declared interest in the presidency so far. But it seems that my friend has just shot himself in the foot for no apparent reason.
His admission of involvement in the 1982 coup plot ruins everything by introducing some very disturbing questions on the minds of Kenyans.
Military coups are all about killing and taking over power by military, forceful and unconstitutional means. This means that Raila and his late father were prepared to kill to get political power. They did not succeed but many innocent Kenyans lost their lives in the process. Those who don't think this is serious should face the Kenyan mother who had a son in the regular armed forces and one in the Airforce. She was praying that both survived. She found the bodies of both at the City Mortuary. Not to mention the thousands of other Kenyans who lost their lives on that black August 1st. Many others who will carry the scars for the rest of their lives from watching people being killed or wives and daughters being raped. And for what?
At the time, Moi had ruled for a mere 4 years and one of the reasons why the coup happened in the first place is that his style of leadership then was very laid back and non-confrontational (sound familiar?) Nobody likes a weak leader. So what the coup plotters announced on the radio that morning, to the effect that the long dictatorial rule of President Moi had come to an end was propaganda nonsense. There weren't even any political detainees at that time.
Meaning that the people behind the coup had no justification to use armed means to gain power. It means that they were after power for the sake of power. For Raila to be associated with such a group is nauseating to say the least.
There are times when an armed struggle is justified; this was definitely not one of those times. If anything it would have set a dangerous precedent that may have turned Kenya into another Nigeria where bloody coups have for many years been an accepted way of life.
This is the man who will ask Kenyans for their votes in 2007. It is true that Kenyans have a short memory and Raila should have taken advantage of that and left his past exactly where it was.
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The Chaos That Was the 1982 Coup And The Terrible Purge That Followed
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Other Raila Odinga Articles In This Blog;
Raila Phobia: Why The Emotional Comments And Abusive Language?
Raila Odinga’s World Cup Ad
What Raila Should Do To Win The Presidency
Is ODM Finished?
'82 Coup Plot Revelations: Raila Odinga's Biggest Political Mistake Ever
if teh spirit of forgiveness prevails lets then forgive all those implicated
ReplyDeletein goldenberg,anglo leasing and also all other petty criminals.
As I watched Raila being interviewed on KTN last night I wondered the same thing: "Isn't he shooting himself in the foot?" Then I thought, this is Raila... he always has a plan B or something up his sleeve.
ReplyDeleteWe've seen the 64 million worth DSTV-Panafricanist Ads, the website... the whole ODM fracuss... stupid commentry at funerals on how NARC's dream still lives on... so what next... the launch of the book... so what next?
With the likes of Orengo defending Raila from a law point-of-view and Kenyans who have the tendancy of forgetting... then maybe we are all playing into his plan. We are after all talking/debating about him? First rule of PR... get people talking... buzz effect.
Raila an Enigma
ReplyDeleteI am constantly amused by attempts by Kenyan politicians to create positive impressions about themselves. However the current publicity blitz by one Raila Odinga just has me baffled.
First were the advertisements on DSTV during the world cup. Dstv being a paid satellite channel could not have been the best way to communicate with majority of his voters who live in Kibera and probably watched the games on KBC.
Then on Friday comes a biography book by a Nigerian launched with much fanfare in Nairobi.
Serialized in the papers on Saturday are revelations that Raila was deeply involved in the 1982 attempted coup. It is reported that he was actually one of the ringleaders of the plotters.
The question that begs to be asked is Raila so sure of his perceived current popularity that he thinks these damning revelations will not harm his quest for statehouse.
Raila is beginning to remind one of the last years of the Moi regime where the government had lost its, grip on reality.
Another sign of trouble is when a leader begins to refer to himself as the third person, Raila Commenting on Raila Odinga during speeches. The person now completely believes all that his sycophantic followers say about him to the extent that, he begins to perceive his public self as bigger and separate from the real person hence the need to refer to it as if it were another person.
History is full of dictators who suffered from this warped sense of the reality. Julius Caesar comes to mind. Moi also did this often.
In my view Raila had better get a grip on Reality. That book has done more damage to his presidential plans then any DSTV Africa wide advertising will fix. All Kenyans suffered during the debacle of August 1st, and Mr. Raila Odinga is suffering from delusions of the highest kind if he thinks any Kenyan will vote for his presidency after coming out with those types of revelations.
Wilbur Ocholla
Vee, my dear, are you in PR or something? That buzz effect comment...
ReplyDeleteNo Chris I'm in Design & Advertising. Yet PR has always jazzed me; as to how someone or people can create hype and an impression of someone or something just to alter people's mindsets? Like how US Presidential candidates have a bevy of people around them creating a certain image. Thereafter, all he has to do is appear and be that notion people have of him. I'm not sure if Raila has PR people but so far they have people talking about him...
ReplyDeleteWilbur your comment on Raila referring to himself in the third person has me facinated! Has he done so for real? Because I would love to burst his bubble and tell him that he isn't all he thinks he is. All that the Advertising blitz, website and book has done is show that he is a politician so out of touch with where Kenyans are at.
That sort of campaign would work in Estonia where nearly 90% of the country is hooked to the net and the government is working so hard at making it a Net savvy nation. Meanwhile, back in Kenya the average mwanainchi is struggling with basic necessities such as buying their food 'ndogo ndogo" style how will they afford DSTV, Popote Wireless etc...
Unfortunately, knowing Kenyans such a campaign might work because we love the "bigger" and "better".
if you guys think moi's government was all so good why was he voted out in 2002 we have to appreciate the fact that there are guys who stood up to tyranny and had a cause most of the guys commenting havent read the bood at all just following leaders blindly kalembe cant speak english yet 24hrs after the book is released he is among the first to comment (total humor)half of you havent read Koigi's piece on the dailies editorial and his comments u have to have been there to know how bad moi and his cronies were
ReplyDeleteread the book then lets discuss the good and bad points in it
Anon: I accept I did not read the book. What I have a problem with is the hype around Raila like he is the only one who has done an biography. I have read the Koigi write-ups and I firmly believe that Moi's era was indeed our dark days.
ReplyDeleteWhat I'm afraid of is all the paranoia and sycophancy surrounding Raila and all other politicians is going to throw us back to another dark age. My hope is that the transitional period and or government ends soon so that we can carry on growing up as a nation.
Vee,
ReplyDeleteThis url you sent for posting:
http://www.kanuonline.com/index.php?optionfiltered=com_content&task=view&id=22&Itemid=1
Actually it does not exist. I've tried everything. Even www.kanuonlione.com does not seem to exist. Please tell us what the contents are.
Chris.
There must be something wrong cause I'm currently reading it. It's on how KANU can go alone and justifies Uhuru's stand of leaving the ODM deal.
ReplyDeleteTry again
http://www.kanuonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22&Itemid=1
I heard it commented on one of the local FM stations, that if Raila were to become president he would be another Amin,heeeelllll Noooooo.
ReplyDeleteVee any time Raila talks on any podium he always makes a reference to Raila doing this or Raila not doing this,he never says mimi he says Raila alifanya ama hajafanya
ReplyDeleteW.ochola
Just as Mau Mau freedom struggle played a role in our gaining independance;the coup played a pivotal role in ensuring we gain multi-party democracy; which in truth was Kenya's second liberation.
ReplyDeleteNow,why should we here, enjoying the fruits of this multi-party democracy and freedom of speech castigate those who fought for it?
It was a coup.And yes it was bloody and violent.
But we are full of praises for the MauMau despite the fact that they killed more of their Kenyan brothers and sisters than they did colonialists.
Let us not be hypocritical. Like any political struggle for freedom it was violent.But without it, the democratic space would not have expanded as is today.
hi
ReplyDeletevee,i would like to ask you one question ,do you have something against raila?