I have interrupted something really important I was pursuing to do this post. To be honest I am totally disgusted at what I see.
Is it a mere coincidence that shortly after Prime Minister Raila Odinga was embarrassed in the famous now-you-are-invited-now-you-are-not-invited fiasco with President Obama ( I will talk about the reason for that a little later in this post) a photograph then appears of the Prime Minister and his wife pictured with the first family of the United States. What was the real purpose of that photograph? More so when you look at the events of the last few days?
Let me cut to the chase. Have you heard of people called spin doctors who are critical to the image of presidential candidates? Well that front page picture was the work of those spin doctors surrounding Raila Odinga whose objective it is to get the son of Jaramogi to State House. Whatever the price, whatever the sacrifice. To them, the intersts of Kenya and Kenyans are irrelevant or secondary at best, to this “noble” objective. (I have nothing against spin doctors, hell I was one some years back and that's why I can authoritatively tell you that the first rule in the game is to be principled and never attempt to deal with lies or hoodwink the public because sooner or later you will always be found out. This golden rule holds true whether you are dealing with a presidential candidate or a consumer product).
It was way too embarrassing and probably very damaging to Raila Odinga to have gotten snubbed by President Barack Obama, a man he has always claimed to be very close to. The truth is that when Obama was a nobody visiting Kenya to trace the roots of his father, Mr Raila Odinga had no time for the “young dreamer” who was fathered by a Kenyan. Fast forward to some two years later and suddenly Mr Odinga was related to the then Senator Obama.
I will repeat what I have said here many times before. If Raila Odinga truly loves this country as much as he claims to then he should step aside and support the younger generation for the presidency of Kenya. I am talking about people closer to the age of his eldest son. Your time is over Raila. Kenya will be forever grateful for what you have done but now it is time for you to step aside with your entire generation and allow the fresh start that is critical to the survival of the motherland. Forget all those plans you have to launch a major youth initiative within ODM to hoodwink Kenyans in the next elections. The idea will be for folks to believe that to elect Raila will be to usher in a new beginning with a fresh crop of young leaders. Yep. You can bet that those leaders will be as young as William Ole Ntimama and as old and violent as Fred Gumo. These two gentlemen are kingpins in the ODM side of the current cabinet. Raila had even offered a man called John Harun Mwau a full cabinet post but he declined. Anyway sorry for digressing but you get the drift I am sure.
Now let’s focus on that controversial meeting with President Obama. Let’s start by mentioning the names of some of the presidents in attendance. President Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania. Both are seen as reformists and the face of the new leadership in Africa that is inevitably approaching with or without America’s prodding, but which that super power would like to speed up and take credit for. Noticeably absent was a man called President Yoweri Museveni. There was a time that he was seen as a true reformist but his true colours have burst out in recent times. Now if you had invited from Kenya the likes of Raila Odinga or Mwai “wacha wapigane” Kibaki in that group you would immediately run into some serious problems. As much as my ODM brothers will disagree with me here, Raila represents the old guard. No matter how much he dyes his hair black and tries to look like he is young. I find it hilarious that anybody would want to put Paul Kagame and Mwai Kibaki on the same table. What would they discuss?
Indeed it is becoming very clear that the new policy in Washington is to keep a safe distance from the jokers in Nairobi calling themselves leaders. Notice that the Visa bans announced did not just affect PNU but ODM folks as well. Notice also the wording of the statement by the US ambassador to Kenya. He said that apart from championing reforms, leaders will have to denounce violence. Now that statement is “pregnant” with a lot of meaning. I suggest that it will make much better sense if you read the last few posts I have done here. I will reveal more in the coming days.
Shame on you Raila Odinga’s spin doctors.
Shame on you Nation Editors for getting sucked into this scheme that is bad for Kenya.
Shame on all of you Kenyans who will never rest until Raila Odinga is President (
poleni sana).
P.S. It amazes me how some of my old analytical posts turn out to be so true. There was a time I was sure I was going to be wrong about this post I have linked to below, I almost apologised for it. Well I may still be wrong, but tell me what you think; Why Raila will never be president!
As the DULY elected president of Kenya, Kibaki did what he is constitutionally mandated to do. HE took the oath to protect Kenya’s constitution and her people and he has just done that but reminding Obama of the internationally accepted diplomatic boundaries.
So are we back to the 1990s when the self-styled rogue ambassador Smith Hempstone consorted with dissidents and rilling Moi to the bone? No chance. Make no mistake, Kibaki is no Moi. And who said Kibaki is a coward and spineless? Well, he has drawn the boundary clearly on sand. No pride, no dignity and no shame. The Republican Renneberger may have just handed himself the noose. His misadvising Washington may backfire big time.
