Raila Odinga is the only enigma alive after Kwame Nkrumah, Thomas Sankara and Agostinho Neto among a few others. Those are notable African leaders who sacrificed for the good of a people. History has it crafted in steel that above Josiah Mwangi Kariuki, Tom Mboya, Chelagat Mutai and Bishop Arap Muge, without the Odinga name, Kenya today could be a banana republic.
While the mafia and beneficiaries of corruption cling to power, Raila has forever pulled the other edge of the curtain with a vivid dream yet to be achieved. The dream of an equitable endowment of Kenya's heritage. A country contrary to that of ten billionaires and fifty million paupers.
Who is this man Raila? Despite being the son of the first Vice President of Kenya, he had to be tear gassed, mugged and jailed in pursuit of a better nation. Had he wanted to be in all subsequent governments, I and you bet nothing would have prevented him. It wasn't hard to offer loyalty to Moi, and Kibaki. Maybe at the moment he is power hungry, but is he ?
A look back at his backing of Mwai Kibaki in 2002, one can evidently acknowledge an act of sacrifice and trust. At a moment when many hopefuls would have shred apart giving the then Moi's project to pursue the KANU agenda, it had to take Agwambo's intervention for things to change.
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A formidable team was then formed devoid of tribal or individual interest but that of a dear country-Kenya. The road to 2007 was a long and bumpy one.
Even then, Raila's victory was not realised, in an event that saw Mwai Kibaki sworn in at times that Kenyans question up to this day. Were it not for the love of the nation, what befell us in 2013, it might have turned up to be a mirror of the past. But Raila held onto his grip, guided by humane principles and there was peace and cohesion thereafter.
The courts pronounced Uhuruto victors of another contested election in 2013. Five years down the line, the NASA bigwigs in their wisdom decided to support the proverbial Joshua for yet another attempt. It has taken demonstrations, courts and campaigns to strike again. What awaits the son of Jaramogi is so near, yet so far.
I must admit, there are some things only Raila can do better in his own way as president. That vision manifested in the heart of a man who painfully delivered multi-partism and the new constitution is yet to be realised. Otherwise, he should by now be sitting pretty in Nyalgunga appreciating the fruits of democracy. At 70, he’s been tear gassed, abused and humiliated.
Whatever Raila has done for this country can never be wished away. A giant monument ought to be erected in the middle of every city starting with Gatundu, Nyeri and Turbo in Eldoret North. Then future generations can learn and appreciate a man who helped us open our mouths in the name of freedom of speech. A man, who sacrificed his comfort for the sake of the oppressed.
There are two things remaining for Baba to fight before he hangs his boots: Tribalism and Corruption. Baba is not tribal; whoever named him Njamba and Arap Mibei can attest to that fact.
