Shakespeare emplaces it so clear that “the world is but a stage, we all have our comings and goings, entrance and exit, and we have to know when to leave.” Let’s adduce to this quote that has been widely abused by African leaders but with a peculiar interest to one Raila Amolo Odinga.
It’s ostensible that Raila suffers from the Prima donna syndrome. The 71-year-old who was first elected as Member of Parliament for Langata, has remained germane in the game for the past twenty one years that he has been in government. His well-structured moves brought him close to his dream of the presidency but he ended up being Kenya’s second prime minister in 2008. At this juncture for me, it was a well done job for him and time to leave the stage for other actors whom he had been introducing in the game. His “lust” for a better Kenya sent him back to the ballot five years later but this time round he faced some of his own who seized being one of his own. He was defeated.
Trust me ODM is led by one engineer, several lawyers and one professor of political science. This few heads have turned to literary ordain their “god” into whatever he dreams. The dreams of other aspirants in the large CORD will remain just a dream as long as Raila lives. The philosophy guiding them being “it’s either Raila or Raila”, if you go against that philosophy then you automatically qualify to be a traitor to the master.
The fact is that those fighting for Raila’s significance are not even sure if they themselves will be re-elected. The problem is the voting culture of the Nyanza people, if they voted on meritocracy of a candidate, then characters such as James Orengo would have been long sieved. For this kind of characters to survive they have to engineer moves for the master, they have to go with what he wants, they have to be present day and night to tell him he is ever right so that they can be looked at as loyalists.
Nominations in ODM are given to loyalist, and when the former Secretary General Ababu Namwamba got concerned, he created an unwanted feeling among the loyalists. This has made the “loyalist” to relax and not perform their functions but remain to serve ODM. The undying love that the locals have for Raila has revamped the voting culture in the regions. They don’t vote personalities they vote parties. Then the question comes to mind, “why should I execute my functions to seek the next re-elections if they will still vote the party and I will still be representing the party?”
Raila is running again. It’s his constitutional right but he is tarnishing the image he has built in the last 10 years. Raila cannot manage ODM a political party, how will he manage a country? ODM been in the opposition should do things right. Why should people trust them with power if they can’t handle the little power they have as opposition? Raila seized to be fit some five years ago. He should leave the stage for his students.
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