Monday, May 23, 2011

Why 'Sonko' is the man to watch

By Ibrahim NdamweLet's face it. This country is suffering for lack of meaningful political opposition. And it has everything to do with every community itching to be in government. That and this coalition business we stupidly got ourselves into.
With the coalition, erstwhile opposition leaders like James Orengo and Otieno Kajwang’ bagged ministerial posts making it impossible for them to protest against a government that they are a part of.
When a chasm arose within ODM ranks, it was assumed the new rebels would keep the government on its toes. Unfortunately, they are only willing to fight one man on behalf of another. Things weren’t so bad for a while, though. But that was before a senior youthful politician was kicked out of Parliament by an election petition.
The result is a political landscape so boring that our media houses have to travel to Kampala to bring images of Kizza Besigye’s beating to wake up TV viewers. There is simply no sting to our politics anymore. Parliament now sounds like a congregation of the Mother’s Union.
Spectacular performanceThen enter Gidion Mbuvi. His performance last week was spectacular and it should cause the likes of Eugene Wamalwa and Peter Kenneth to pause and take stock. Gentlemen — and therein lies the big problem — you cannot purport to lead the youth when in manner of dress and speech, you resemble a miniature Kibaki. The youth of this great nation are a virile bunch seething with testosterone.
They have to dissipate this energy by burning and breaking things, smashing glass windows, howling like mad savages, lying prostrate on the tamarck, blocking roads and flattening walls. I don’t see the two of you leading them. No. You don’t have it.
As a matter of fact, the paltry ratings you have been enjoying in opinion polls have only been because the youth had no leader.
But that changed last week when Mbuvi aka Sonko punched the hell out of a brick wall with his bare fists a-nd barreled into the Deputy Prime Minister’s office leading his army of voters in a show of fearsome might.
Raw powerThat show of raw power was broadcast across the country as the youth watched and heaved a collective Eureka. A leader, a great leader, had been born. The youth, by the way, number in the millions in this country.
When the next opinion poll is published, I see Sonko shooting past Martha Karua, Uhuru Kenyatta, Kalonzo Musyoka and William Ruto.
He has only Tinga to contend with but all he has to do is punch another wall and the premier’s goose will be cooked.
Tinga’s ageing brigade is simply no match for Sonko’s virile energy, political smarts and wide grassroots appeal.

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