Why kingmakers are always slayed after every election

KTN Kenya

OPINION: http://bitly.com/11Yw21U

After polls, we slay the kingmaker

- Edward Indakwa

Those who are older say Jomo Kenyatta could not have been President but for Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.

Summoned by the Brits to cobble together a government with himself at the helm as Prime Minister, he told them to go to hell. No Jomo, no Uhuru.

Jomo, by the way, had spent years cooling his heels in detention and, in his absence; it is Jaramogi and others who kept the fire burning. Jaramogi, therefore, had national recognition, respect and political clout.

He could have strolled into Government House and started grabbing plots.

Instead, he fought for Jomo. And when Jomo ascended to power and thundered three Harambees, the first person he kicked in the nuts was his kingmaker, Jaramogi.

It is a lesson that Tom Mboya, who was as sharp as a squirrel, never learnt. A couple of years later, when Jomo was beleaguered by a tummy upset that Jaramogi had instigated within Kanu, it is Mboya who came to his rescue and scattered the dark forces.

That enhanced his stature tremendously. It is probably just a coincidence, but a year or so later, he stopped a bullet.

Running mate

Enter Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi, him of the long neck that sees far like a giraffe. He could not have ascended to power without the support of Attorney General Charles Njonjo, GG Kariuki, and Finance Minister Mwai Kibaki.

Of course once the Professor of Politics was firmly in the saddle, he flung those three musketeers out of his limousine – fast. At the run-up to the first multi-party elections of 1992, President Moi, as wily a fox as they come, got bored of all that opposition noise Raila Odinga was making and co-opted him into Kanu, appointing him to the Cabinet to boot.

But just when Raila was beginning to sniff the sweet aroma of coffee wafting in from the presidential succession kitchen, the old professor rudely flung him and Saitoti – the whole lot – out of the tent.

Which is why I got tickled when Raila, after practically wheeling President Kibaki to State House, was hurt when the Member for Othaya wasted no time cutting him down to size. Come on Tinga, didn’t those Marxists teach you that old trick?

Apparently they did because when William Ruto handed Raila Odinga the Rift Valley on a silver platter, enabling him to bargain for that half loaf in 2007, he too wasted no time cutting Bill, that brash, ambitious kingmaker, to size.

Now we stand at the cusp of a new era. Raila, having learned his lessons, has a nice born again running mate who wouldn’t hurt a fly.

But the son of Jomo? Tricky, very tricky.

He campaigns in the shadow of a kingmaker – William Ruto – who is busy hatching Rift Valley votes. Should he win this poll, Ruto will have to go. 

Problem is if Uhuru couldn’t fling Nick Salat out of Kanu (he bolted instead) knocking Ruto down will be the first wrestling match of his life.