YApr. 26, 2016
Cord coprincipals Moses Wetang’ula, Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka in Nairobi yesterday /COURTESY
For close to two decades, Cord leader Raila Odinga’s State House dream has seemed elusive – but the former Prime Minister is not throwing in the towel any time soon. Mystery still surrounds Raila’s journey for State House as most of his friends-turned political foes continue to block his bid.
ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi, a former close ally of Raila and his running mate in the December 27, 2007, general election has for the first time spoken out on why the ODM leader has lost many friends, hindering his quest. Mudavadi commented in an SMS through his communication director Kibisu Kabatesi.
He said Raila “has an unfortunate steak of viewing everybody as supporters rather than partners.” “You stop being a supporter and you are undermined Kanu style. This leads to inability to manage people, as he is interested more in numbers,” he said. The former Deputy Prime Minister said, “fatigue with supporting Raila has eaten into ODM support base”, where mass defections are witnessed.
“Unfortunately ODM is built on old Kanu tenets of personality cultism. Fascination with cultism forbids exhaling. Loyalty is expressed by keeping everyone cooped up like chicken in a pen feeding on doses of lies,” he said.
“This arises from a major flaw: preoccupation with short-term political gains rather than invest in long-term. This is because of a hypothetical steak of viewing everybody as supporters rather than partners. You are only useful if you are part of the crowd otherwise you are labelled traitor, mole or project. It happened to Kalonzo (Musyoka) in 2007, Mudavadi in 2013 and Wetang’ula (Moses) is being hit now.”
The ODM Pentagon
All Raila’s lieutenants during the 2007 elections who made up the ODM Pentagon have turned against him. Deputy President William Ruto, Mudavadi, former Lands CS Charity Ngilu, Tourism CS Najib Balala and Joseph Nyaga.
Others include former National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende, former Cabinet minister Raphael Tuju, MPs Ken Obura (Kisumu Central), James Rege (Karachuonyo), Stephen Kariuki (Mathare), PDP leader Omingo Magara, former Changamwe MP Ramadhan Kajembe, among others.
Some of these supporters continue to stand by him. Homa Bay Town MP Opondo Kaluma said Raila is the constant North of leadership in Kenya today. “Unlike Raila who is fighting for a better Kenya for all, the other ‘leaders’ only see a ladder in him to personal power and selfish gain,” he said.
Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo said in an SMS yesterday: “People go to politics for different reasons. I know there are quite a number for whom the key goal is rendezvous with the pinnacle of self-actualization.
“In truth, they are no more than exhibits of extreme forms of selfishness.
How Baba treats friends who lose at polls
Kepher Otieno says Raila’s opponents have reached out to his friends to weaken him.
“But how is he (Raila) treating his friends, for example those who lose elections. Is he accommodative? You don’t leave them hanging because opponents who know their strengths will take them,” he says.
He says some of Raila’s lieutenants have left him in protest after accusations of "failing" to ensure he wins the presidency. ODM national treasurer Timothy Bosire is of the opinion Kenya, just like most Third World countries, still lacks proper structures to enhance party discipline and loyalty.
“The Political parties Act is yet to be implemented. Its intended purpose is not achieved hence leaders shifting their allegiance day and night,” he said.
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