Duale narrates how Raila sneaked out to sign deal with his competitor

Raila Odinga and Aden Duale during a function in 2016. [File, Standard]

ODM leader Raila Odinga sneaked out at night from Defence CS Aden Duale's hotel to go and plot his host's political demise, Duale has said in his new autobiography.

Duale had trained his eyes on the Dujis seat and had identified ODM as his party of choice after an aborted attempt in 2002. His bid in the 2002 general election had been vetoed by the clan elders who had promised to support him in the next polls.

"Unknown to me, I had angered my in-laws with how I was doing my politics," said Duale in his book.

He acknowledged that he had made the mistake of thinking that because he had married the General's (General Mohamum Mohamed) daughter Farida and worked his way into ODM politics he no longer needed the blessings of the clan.

"I heard whispers that the General had asked his brother and incumbent Maalim Mohamed to step down in favour of his other son-in-law Ali Korane. Korane had married my wife's elder sister. The problem was that they wanted Korane to run on an ODM ticket. I declined," Duale writes.

He noted that those opposed to him, including Korane and his father-in-law, knew their way around politics.

Family hotel

His competitor and also brother-in-law Korane had been seeking Raila to endorse him in Garissa.

"When Raila arrived in Garissa, I booked him in the family hotel and spent the whole evening with him, introducing him to my top supporters and sponsors. I made sure after our meeting he went straight to bed."

The following day he ensured Raila found him at the hotel because he did not want to give room to Korane to access Raila. Even in the meeting, he ensured his competitor did not get any public appearances with Raila.

Upset and frustrated, Korane called Raila in the evening and Duale says he overheard the bits and pieces of the conversations, "thanks to the high volume on Raila's phone. Raila apologised for not having seen him and averred that he would make a point of seeing him before he returns to Nairobi.

"I sat Raila until 10pm when I saw him fighting off sleep as we chatted, I let him go to his room and we agreed to meet that following day. I hang around a bit and I was told that as soon as I left, Raila left his room and was driven to Korane's home."

Poll victory

During the nomination, Duale says he beat Korane with more than 4,000 votes and his competitor got to the plane to Nairobi and eventually picked a PNU ticket.

Earlier, almost a similar incident had happened when one afternoon Duale received a call that Raila was in the General's home in Lavington with Korane and Mohamed Isahakhia finalising a deal of giving the Dujis ticket to Korane.

"I texted Isahakhia and told him I knew where he was and how much money had changed hands."

Notably the meeting was taken aback for a while before they finalised the deal that assured Korane of the ODM ticket for Dujis.

Later the same evening Raila invited Duale for breakfast at his Karen home the following day.

"As we nibbled on the breakfast, he explained that he had made a deal with Korane, but he was not going to honour it. I was still going to get the ODM ticket."

"What about the deal you guys struck yesterday? I asked, unsure that I had heard him correctly."

"Forget about that one," Raila told me, waving his hand dismissively as if he were swatting a pesky fly.

For an upcoming new politician, Duale in his book says he had not seen closely where people went back on their word.

After breakfast he went straight to Garissa and his campaign team told him he was the one being played after he explained to them what had happened between Korane, the General and his breakfast with Raila.

"Perhaps he was playing both of us - Make a deal with Korane on the condition he participates in the nominations, knowing I would beat him anyway because I had the ground support and networks. It did not look right."

Because he wanted to show that he had the ground support, Duale organised to open an ODM office in Garissa town where he did the party colours and equipment.

"People usually think it is a joke when I tell them Raila taught me politics. It is true, Raila taught me politics. He knows it, and his close friends and family members know it. I remain grateful for those lessons."

Duale acknowledges that he remains respectful to his former party boss turned political nemesis.

Duale who was appointed CS in October last year admits that he did his politics internship and pupillage in the School of Raila politics.

He said he spent so much time with Raila when he (Raila) was not doing his ministerial duties and would invite him to his house in Karen.

Of great teachers

"I became a frequent visitor to that home to the extent that his wife, Mama Ida Odinga referred to me as her son. To date, I remain respectful to Raila, but whenever he makes political gaffes, I point out the mistakes and offer counsel the way a successful student does to his teachers.....Great teachers appreciate whenever their students correct them."

His relationship with Raila started in 2003 when the Narc government was still on its honeymoon. Raila had been hosted by then Local Government Minister Karisa Maitha who was the CS's political network in the coastal region where he had relocated to for business after he quit his teaching job in Garissa.

The elevation of Maitha as a minister, Duale says, gave him an opportunity to see the exercise of power, the fruits of politics, and the difference a passionate selfless leader can make for his people. Maitha's stint was cut short when he died while on a trip to Germany.

"As crushing as his death was, I appreciate that he had allowed me to learn at his feet."