Miguna Miguna got wise only on the morning after

Otuma Ongalo

Not so long ago, there lived in Kamukuywa a mad man popularly known as Okhwa Majani – that is, son of Majani.

Majani (may his soul rest in eternal peace) was not your ordinary marketplace loony. Rumour had it that before he became a victim of black magic, he was a brilliant student in one of the leading national schools. He was an encyclopaedia in matters academic and village titbits.

Majani was legendary when it came to speaking his mind and funerals provided him an opportunity to do so.  Whenever priests and folks showered accolades to departed souls – as is always the norm when someone passes on– he would stand up and deliver the most rational verdict among sane minds. Woe unto you if you were the village night runner, petty thief, adulterer or drunkard. Majani would not mince his words in his ‘eulogy’.

Occasionally he would dash into the deceased’s house and announce to all and sundry how he was useless that he did not have a decent place to sleep or good clothes. He would chide those shedding crocodile tears while inwardly celebrating the man’s death. Then he would happily strum his guitar before unleashing another discomforting truth. 

Rest in peace, dear Majani, but your memory makes me reflect on political hypocrisies and doublespeak in our times. If you were alive today, I would nominate you as chief advisor in the corridors of power. I will entrust you with giving honest opinions to many politicians who live in the world of fantasy courtesy of court poets who hail their ‘wonderful suits’ even when they are stark naked.

I’m reminded of the metamorphosis of Miguna Miguna (oh, not again!) when I reflect on the era when he was self-appointed Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s guardian angel and his turnaround to pour vitriol at his former hero.

Miguna is a fallen man and ethics forbid kicking a man who is already down, but I find it irresistible not to comment on the drama that has unfolded following his suspension as Raila’s advisor. Unlike Majani whose mind could not be influenced by circumstances, Miguna now has a different view of Raila because his fortunes and power have vanished. I’m reminded of Mulili in Betrayal in the City, who when things turned elephant, he turned against the leader he worshipped and benefited from all his life. I also recall Peter and the denial of Jesus three times.

Miguna has crossed swords with many individuals in his quest to portray Raila as a demigod. Whenever one hit Raila, it was Miguna who felt the pain and fought his wars. When I wrote a column condemning Raila’s intolerance to dissent, Miguna hit back in his usual element.

He wrote, “Ongalo ought to know that Raila has an unrivalled history of fighting against dictatorship, repression, human rights abuses, tribalism and corruption in Kenya. Raila has been more than tolerant to dissent.” He further advised that Raila has the prerogative of shuffling or sacking his appointees without making an explanation to anyone. Now, as the saying goes, chickens have come home to roost.

Like a jilted lover, Miguna has in the past few days been shouting at whoever dares to listen that Raila is not an agent of change and human rights – after all.

Just when did Raila change, Mr Miguna?  Did he only after he kicked you out? Here is when I terribly miss Majani’s sane view.  But one thing is for sure; it does not take the sacking of one man to undo an unrivalled history of fighting against dictatorship, repression and human rights abuses.

The trouble with our leaders is that they are surrounded by advisors (read sycophants) who cannot tell them when they err. Far from the lofty academic credentials the advisors wield, they need a child’s innocence or a mad man’s honesty to know their true self. It took a child to tell the emperor who had bared it all, to flaunt a non-existent suit, that he was stark naked.