Raila, the President that never was…
By Douglas O. Majwala.
“Not all that glitters are gold”. Raila a lifetime political martyr in the sub-continent is still inclined to believe along with his disciples that he can make it to the throne before he rests for life outside the universe. Unlike his political colleagues, Raila a long-time anti graft crusader has always evaded being involved in scandals from minor to mega ones in a society that is highly rotten of grand corruption making him be nicknamed a clean man who descends in a transfigurational style in the midst of tribulation where and when peoples hopes inches despair.
His unique carrot policies have often scared his adversaries and made him be seen as a political monster for them and this has made of recent his acquaintances question his faithfulness when friending him for a cause as it is always easier for him to make a sudden u-turn when things don’t go his way and indeed does not embrace public interest, a quality required of a strong ambitious and proactive leader.
Raila a fugitive of lawlessness has a unique sanity that dares trash the bad elements from alliance with him without due regard to the costs associated with the decision, to him public interests comes first and counts most than anything else even if it means disintegrating or abandoning his own founded party, this makes him be regarded as one of rare political species whose un-predictable political trait sends greedy figures sick. In fact and in short without Raila-ism politics in Kenya are never tasty.
Political acceptance of a firebrand Raila is 3-D in instinct. Firstly, Raila does not advocate for politics of intrigue and tribalism which are the cornerstone of politics in East African country, he always tried as much as he can to get endorsement in other provinces and indeed he gets it from the voters regardless of jealous big names in those locales who claims to possess the provinces.
This has made some like Mudavadi and Ruto to try to emulate his style of deploring tribalism although with great care as their people may sometimes on hearing this run a mock. Secondly, Raila’s non-tribalistic and cleanmanship traits wins him international recognition and support as these are the merits that counts to the international fora and donor community. Most big shots in Kenya smell a rat of minor to mega graft. When it means waging war against corruption Raila is ready to breach even a high level moratorium as long as graft is denounced and laid to rest. Thirdly, Raila has a history of living to his unwavering principles and has a cause to fight for-for Kenya.
Any journo with a nose for news wouldn’t find scandalous story to report about the rightist Raila. This has won him unwavering public support let alone his dogmatism that has scared all reins in the oldest East African unipolar economy.
But one question remains unanswered, that why a radical Raila does not make it to the peak with all the charismatic merits he has that beams far beyond the borders of pyrethrum producing country. Is it that Amolo does not care about the incentives of political planning that can lead him to realize his longstanding dream? Is that failure to plan is planning to fail? Is poor electoral system to blame for fiasco? Or is moribund constitution a witch against Raila’s dreams?
majwalaoriko@yahoo.co.uk
Rorya-Tanzania.