Kalonzo Musyoka: What Does He Stand For? Who Is He Really?

I am a student of Kenyan history and also a keen student of world politics.

One of the most fascinating presidential elections ever was the 2004 American presidential race between incumbent George W. Bush and Senator John Kerry. No other presidential election has been so fiercely contested right down to door-to-door campaigns. If there ever was a candidate who had been handed over the American presidency on a silver platter, then it was John Kerry. But he blew it… he actually managed to lose.

Why?

I'm sure you've read about many reasons why George W. is still in the White House today, but one writer hit the nail on the head when he said the main reason was that the American public had their doubts about Kerry. They didn't trust him because they didn't quite know who he was. What did he really stand for? He had shifted his position on various major issues so many times that he had left Americans dizzy. In sharp contrast George Bush junior was no fence seater. He had very clear views and positions on every issue. Like him or hate him, he courageously stood for what he believed. And that is the main reason why he is in State House today.

One Kenyan presidential candidate by the name of Kalonzo Musyoka should take very careful note of this fact.

For somebody who has been in politics for so long, he should be keenly aware of the fact that winning the presidency is not about a clever campaign (like promising Kenyans free secondary school education, knowing that this was the one thing that would positively touch virtually every single Kenyan voter, especially because so many have failed to go to secondary school for lack of fees). Neither is it about cutting a new image (joining a street demonstration for the first time ever in his political career. Kalonzo has always avoided confrontation of any kind at all costs).

But what does a Kalonzo presidency have to offer to Kenyans… seriously?

It was reported in the Sunday Nation earlier this year that Hon Musyoka has been doing some very serious but quiet-behind-the-scenes campaigning in Rift Valley. His message? He promised to protect the Kalenjin community, if they supported him for the presidency. From what, they asked him? He probably meant sins of the past. But here he misjudged something. The "sins" he was referring to were committed by individuals. He also failed to realize that within the Kalenjin community, there are many who were very dissatisfied with Moi's tenure and felt that they did not benefit from it at all, but actually suffered greatly because of it.

Kalonzo also remains very close to former president Daniel arap Moi who has refused to let go of politics for obvious reasons.

My honest conclusion? In a Kalonzo presidency we can only expect more of the same. Where president Kibaki has been a fence-seater, President Kalonzo will be even more so.

Right now we need the opposite of Musyoka to sort out our problems. We need a president who can confront major issues without fear. A decisive decision-maker. We need new ideas, not old Kanu re-cycled tired strategy, which is the only thing we can expect from Musyoka.

But what would be even more frightening to Kenyans about a Kalonzo presidency would be the unknown component. Somewhere along the way his true colors would have to emerge. Personally I would rather have a candidate like Nicholas Biwott for the presidency because we would know exactly what to expect (i.e. I would head for the nearest border immediately his victory was announced).

Several polls by Steadmann (until recently) named Musyoka as the most popular opposition candidate and the man with the biggest chance of unseating President Kibaki. It is still a mystery to this blogger how this can be so when some simple tribal arithmetic will tell you different (as I pointed out in an earlier post some weeks back).