Monday, December 26, 2011

All you need to know about 2012 race card



By Kipkoech Tanui
New Year which is also first day of our election year is near.
It will be first day of January when we shall get a ruling on the Ocampo Six, a court ruling on the election date, and go for a not-very-useful national cohesion conference called by President Kibaki.
Useless because we know the office where the heifer of tribalism is fattened. If we can’t live with the bitter truth told by Hassan Omar what will we achieve in this conference?
I am thinking about what the coming year holds for seekers of Presidency and perceptions they have to fight to win.
Let us start with the latecomer, Prof George Saitoti, a former VP who to his credit and God survived poisoning. May be this is what made him a paranoid and undecided man, with few known friends except Councillor Alex ole Magelo.
Crawl like lice
I guess the other reason is, he has not overcome the Goldenberg nightmare. He reminds me of the old lion with lumpy skin and falling teeth, that often roars as a reminder he is still around. He needs to be reminded Kenya is bigger than Masailand. He may have the money and experience, but like soap, this is useless if you don’t take it and apply on yourself. Then again he is about 70 years young!
There is Mr Musalia Mudavadi whom I have said before seems to subordinate himself too much to Mr Raila Odinga and may even seek his nod if he wants to run against him next year.
He reminds me of lazy cow always left behind by others in the kraal and she finally realised she is always wandering alone, decides to return to the herd and just remain there, not even to try lead, but to follow the others.
He is also paranoid he made a terrible misjudgment in 2002 and like head lice, the son of Senator Wamalwa is giving him no peace, just crawling all over and making his scalp itch.
Then there is Mr Kalonzo Musyoka, who must confront perception he is the vulture hovering over lions waiting to pick the pieces when they fight for the kill.
He could even call them to the negotiation table and offer to arbitrate while also asking for his share in exchange for support to one of them. In the original Orange before it split, his opponents claim he believed he would be President because his late loving mother dreamt so.
Like one politician told him then, if it were possible we would all claim to own Kenya because that is what our mothers dreamt for us.
Despite casting himself as ‘Mr Clean’ he will need to convince Kenyans he is not as opportunist who on The Hague matter shares a silent prayer with those of the guys who park towing vehicles at roundabouts at night.
Then he has to be told this Wiper party name isn’t good, soon his opponents will tell us it has something to do with baby wipes!
Mr William Ruto must overcome perceptions he is a political hippo who when its family is provoked flattens everything around its vicinity, its anger directed at no one in particular like those letters to whomever it may concern.
He also is appreciated as an eloquent and energetic politician, but then there is the excess baggage he is perceived to carry in terms of past business and political dealings. Then there is this unfinished business at The Hague. He also looks to be a leader who can’t brook opposition, just like they say of the Raila he doesn’t like, in his community.
Round the clock
But you see hippos live both on land and water, so now you see them and now you don’t.
Then his friend Mr Uhuru Kenyatta who also has some unfinished business with The Hague where he is accused of engineering revenge attacks against Luos, Luhyas and Kalenjins using Mungiki. He also needs to overcome perception he is sacred priest of the moneyed class that is nostalgic about the Kenyatta and Kibaki eras.
Then there is this perception about him that we need not say much except to say it has something to do with his public and private lives being farther apart than those of any of his competitors. Then there is this matter of temper, which contradicts his friendly and easy-going character.
I won’t say much of Mr Eugene Wamalwa. He is just the lion’s son playing with tails of senior members of the political pride.
Mr Moses Wetangula is just figuring how to mend the puncture that struck him in the name of an embassy on Japanese soil and the Al Bashir debacle.
As for Martha Karua, the less said the better, we all want to enjoy Christmas, not to struggle to rise from underneath a tonne of bricks.
What you reject
Then there is Raila who all these want to stop from reaching State House. Now, this seems to be an appreciation he is not as insignificant as they claim, and that is why they have him for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. But he needs to confront perceptions he is part of the mess in Grand Coalition, which Kenyans want to bury fast, does not brook opposition, has a special preference for his larger family in appointments — something he has bitterly denied arguing it is not by his hands those jobs came.
There is also view he is the trickster hare that quickly dumps his friends once he crosses the bridge and a person who schemes downfalls of his friends round the clock. But again which politician doesn’t do this?
I have reserved last line for Prof James ole Kiyiapi because he may just be the cornerstone the builder rejected that could be key to structural stability of our nation. He may be accused of inexperience and jumping the political gun but don’t you just admire his courage, honesty and forthrightness?
The writer is Managing Editor, Daily Editions, at The Standard.
ktanui@standardmedia.co.ke
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