Raila Amollo Odinga: Next President of Kenya?
I am grateful to Joseph-Oloo Obiero of Denver, USA who has provided this blog with excerpts of a personal interview he carried out recently with ODM presidential aspirant Raila Amollo Odinga.
Joseph Obiero said...
I was one of the fortunate few who managed to engage ODM luminary Raila Odinga after his visit to Denver. I have been resident in the US after obtaining my green card in 1996 and starting my career as a Walmart line stores clerk. I landed home over the weekend and the politics that I’ve found here are as hot as I could not have imagined.
After his keynote address at Denver, I and a group of about 6 friends engaged Raila for about 15 minutes in the hallway next to the auditorium. I will replicate our conversation and his answers. They are not verbatim, but give the gist of all what he said as accurately as my mind can remember.
JO: When you talk broadly about radical changes, can you tell us in specifics, without resorting to generalities?
Raila(R.O): The changes I envisage and that I have promised to address within my first 90 days in office are; Dismantling the cabals of tribalism that are choking our country and resulting in runaway corruption and frustration for the people of Kenya.
Since the Moi era, or 'error' as I call it, prime jobs have been stuffed with semi-literate Kalenjin herdsmen. I imagined that Kibaki would correct this but in fact he maintained many of them, and those he sent home were replaced by his kleptocratic tribesmen. As we all know, 90% of all thievery is perpetrated by one tribe in Kenya and these are the people I must put behind bars and later on catch up with the Goldenberg and the Anglo-leasing – we call it anglo-fleecing – crooks.
J.O: But people see the likes of William Ruto in your team?
R.O: The matter of bringing in corrupt leaders was started by Kibaki, and in truth, do not be surprised if you find that the likes of William Ruto find themselves behind bars after the elections, because he has cases pending against him. I will not interfere with the courts at all. For now, Ruto is a political necessity, but you know in politics we do have blind loyalties and if we are to win this battle, we have to use all options available. With Uhuru running against Kibaki, the Kikuyus will be divided for sure.
Note: This has since changed, since Uhuru joined Kibaki, but I am certain from what I have heard on the ground, the situation is even worse than opposing Kibaki.
J.O: You seem to have won over Western province, with Musalia as a running mate, but are you sure they will not blackmail you like they did Kibaki when Kombo forced certain key appointments on him especially after the referendum?
R.O: In my case, this will not happen. Musalia has a much weaker character in person than Kombo, and you know the joke about humble Luhya servants as cooks and watchmen...Anyway, jokes aside, Luhya disunity is a blessing for us and I would never have wanted it any other way.
Had the Luhyas united, my plans would have been impossible to fulfil because my nomination was at stake, and if someone like Musalia ruled Kenya, he would not be able to effect the radical changes I talk about. His father was a Moi loyalist and even now if you look carefully, Musalia, like Kalonzo, still behaves as if he is beholden to Moi and cannot talk ill of, much less put Moi behind bars where he belongs. Musalia was created by Moi and given his seat after his father's death since Musalia's was one of Moi's key men and a beneficiary of the grand corruption of the day. I am aware of this but I recognize that I cannot get perfect partners, and truly my friends; there is an election to be won.
JO: When are you planning to go back home?
RO: I am scheduled to be back by Saturday 22nd/Sept/2007 and I would wish to take this opportunity to invite you home for Easter next year, and I assure you that it will take you a long time before you interact with the Kikuyu or Kalenjin officials you used to see everywhere—unless of course you plan to visit Kamiti!
In closing, I want to tell you that Hon Muite prepared a long list of charges against Moi and his sons way back in the 90's when we first thought liberation was at hand. That list is still valid in 2008 and you will read about it in the future. Many of these retired Rift Valley barons will spend their last days incarcerated.
JO: How are you prepared to handle the crisis being created by the Kibaki team regarding your involvement in the 82 coup, since they are using media such as the Government owned media and other media owned by friendly partners like Kenya Times to smear your name?
RO: I truly do not regret my role in the 82 coup, in fact I relish my contribution to that struggle. Those who died are martyrs, and every free country; Cuba, Venezuela, etc had its share of revolutionary martyrs. Even here in America! If it was needed, or was an only option, I would do the same again for the sake of my people. We cannot shy from confronting forces of evil by armed means if need be. That was the beginning of the struggle that got Moi out and the continuing struggle to now get Kibaki out. Kenyans have waited for too long to get rid of these dictators.
Joseph-Oloo Obiero, Denver.
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