Saturday, September 22, 2012

WHAT ODM-RAILA’S PRESIDENCY WOULD MEAN FOR KENYA



By Oduor Moses Otieno on 2012-09-21 13:55:31 (1 comments)



WHAT ODM-RAILA’S PRESIDENCY WOULD MEAN FOR KENYA


There is a warm quality to the color orange; it signifies vitality with endurance. It is associated with thoughtfulness and sincerity, lady luck’s color is orange. It is said that burning an orange candle for seven days will bring about desired change of any kind.

Orange is also said to increase the craving for food and it is for this reason that panic sets in. The idea of Kenya becoming an ‘orange’ republic would make most grown men and women experience forced bowel movement. Should ODM win the election then we will witness the change we have so much desired and more.

A more participatory, accountable and democratic form of government will probably mean selective morals, diluted integrity and reactionary leadership. The events leading up to the promulgation of the new constitution and this year’s (no pun intended) General Elections provide for an interesting fodder for those of us who have been keen enough to follow: these incidences also give a dynamic foundation and backdrop for the new government.

It is undeniable that the ODM following and leadership are notorious for propagating ideals that are slowly being defined as cultural fanatism rather than political development. What we are witnessing could be a kin to the communist evolution of the days of yore. The majority has been deluded into thinking that power is finally in their hands yet with an ODM presidency they will be puppets moving to the whims and clauses (and sub clauses) which are sugar coated in legal and economic mumbo jumbo.

As a Prime Minister within the coalition government and ODM party leader, Raila has failed to reign in his lieutenants and deliver on his pledges. He has instead resorted to corporal punishment and reactionary leadership; sadly, it is clear that if he will carry the same baggage and ideals into the next government then we will pay dearly for casting our votes. 

Raila has always come forward as a leader who prefers to negotiate with those elements that continuously threaten our lives and property. In trying to convince his peers in parliament that the system must engage in dialogue with entities such as MRC, Mungiki et al, he simply laid bare his attitude and perhaps acceptance of such people. If he ascends to the highest office in the land then it only means that every disgruntled Kenyan will feel free to engage in militancy just to be granted audience by the executive.

While some of the grievances hold water killing fellow Kenyans is not the answer to our problems. Dialoguing with such people who exhibit criminal and often violent tendencies would give a very bad image of ODM’s leadership to the rest of the world, the Hague cases notwithstanding.

This is not to advocate for violent counter measures but if ODM will always want to wait until dozens of Kenyans die before dialogue is initiated then we would certainly be better off without them in government.

For most parts of his tenure as MP for Lang’ata, Raila has brought very little development to Kibera. On the contrary, the malady that is poverty has continued to encroach one of Africa’s biggest slum. What an irony that would be; the legislative representative for one of Africa’s largest slum becomes President of Kenya. He has failed to deliver for 2 million people, he will not deliver for 45 million Kenyans.

It is the love for a country and its people that keeps the holy fire of patriotism glowing; so far ODM has only shown that it only has passion for office in as long as they take their share of the loot. It is fearful though yet potentially true that an ODM presidency will continue to be riddled with allegations of corruption, dictatorship, abuse of office, incitement and vote rigging. It could be a gamble that may see to the rise and increase thousand fold more Miguna’s, Caroli’s, maize scandals, kazi kwa vijana scandals, Clinix’s and definitely every political vice imaginable.

The only thing that Kenyans have learnt from all these experiences is that they learn nothing from experience.

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