Heated political undertones and banters from government and opposition leaders played out yesterday as hundreds of Kenyans paid their last respects to the father of Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka.
A presidential promise for jobs for opposition figures, Nasa co-principal Musalia Mudavadi’s caution against “unaccounted generosity”, and opposition chief Raila Odinga’s defence of the “handshake” were the hallmarks of the burial at the Tulimani village home of Mzee Peter Musyoka Mairu.
In the ceremony attended by President Uhuru Kenyatta, his deputy William Ruto, over 50 MPs and hordes of governors, no one was spared, including Kenyatta when he was told to manage public debt and reveal his “shock” choice for successor.
“We have enough jobs for all of us, we will seek to accommodate everyone,” said the President.
Earlier, Mudavadi who seemed to be in the mood for heavy political punches directly asked the President to manage public debt.
He also hit out at an unnamed person, saying “when a man dishes out stolen money, let us not say he has become generous”.
In the past, DP Ruto has braved pressure to explain his handsome donations to churches but he has always wished it away, saying he was investing in heaven.
When he took to the podium, President Kenyatta stuck to his guns that the government must continue borrowing to accomplish its development agenda.
“We will continue borrowing but we will use the money productively and in a manner that we are able to service the loans. We are not borrowing to consume but to grow the country,” he said.
The President said funds to complete the tarmacking of phase one of Kibwezi-Mutomo-Kitui-Mwingi road were available, adding that “we are now looking for money to complete the remaining phases”.
He pitched for closer collaboration of government and opposition leaders as well as national and county governments to realise substantial gains for ordinary Kenyans.
Veiled attacks
DP Ruto did not respond to veiled attacks against him. He said Kenyans had moved on from the last elections and the government was now fully focused on development.
“What we have now is only time to work for Kenyans…we are focused on development and not politics,” said Ruto.
The burial was also characterised by another matter that has been the subject of national discourse of late; the matter of crocodiles in River Jordan. According to Raila’s narrative on the triggers of the handshake deal, his Nasa brigade encountered crocodiles enroute to Canaan.
Yesterday, Kathiani MP Robert Mbui triggered the debate when he reminded the crowd that their journey to Canaan aborted after they encountered crocodiles in River Jordan. Later, National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale appeared to trash the crocodile narrative, asking opposition leaders to move on from it and support the government.
But Siaya Senator James Orengo took him head-on: “Duale must be told that in politics you cannot afford to be oversensitive. If you become oversensitive then you are in the wrong place.”
Orengo added, “In politics we must tell our stories, if you have no story to tell then keep quiet. If anybody thinks he is the crocodile we are talking about, shauri yake (it is upto them).”
Invoking his Sunday School teaching credentials, Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen picked up from where Orengo left and insisted the original River Jordan had no crocodile.
When his turn came, the DP also revisited the matter, saying the Bible needs to be translated into local languages for people to read and know if there were no crocodiles in River Jordan.
Cheered wildly
When it was his time to speak, Raila briefly scanned the crowd before clearing his throat with his ‘Aaayah’ chant as the crowd cheered wildly. And as if to taunt the Jubilee leaders, he led the crowd into chanting “Nasa…Tibim” while declaring the Ukambani region a Nasa zone.
He thanked the community for voting overwhelmingly for the opposition in the August 8 presidential election.
“During our journey to Canaan I was the Joshua and Kalonzo was the Caleb. We moved from Egypt past Sinai desert only to find crocodiles waiting to devour us at River Jordan,” Raila said, sending the crowd into gales of laughter.
He then immediately added a soothing rider: “We however decided to build a bridge with my brother (President Kenyatta) so that Kenyans can cross over safely.”
Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana joined other leaders in urging the President and Raila to ensure the handshake benefited all Kenyans but not only a few individuals.
Kitui leaders appealed to President Kenyatta to address the runaway insecurity at the Kitui-Tana River border, which has resulted in the killing of several people, mainly from the Kitui side.
pmuasya@standardmedia.co.ke
