Forget it, Raila Odinga won’t retire

 Former National Intelligence Service (NIS) deputy director Sam Wakiaga

Former National Intelligence Service (NIS) deputy director Sam Wakiaga is touted as the man who could be Governor Awiti’s biggest nightmare and a possible Raila’s successor. He spoke to SCOPHINE OTIENO

There are those who say Raila should retire like Kibaki and Moi...

You retire from a seat, one does not retire from trying to get a seat! You must get a seat first and then retire from it.

Besides, talking about Raila’s retirement is unfair to him and to Kenya because he has something to offer the Country. We, therefore, need to vote him president and only then can we have the retirement conversation. 

Some politicians from your backyard have labelled you a betrayer to the Luo nation because Raila’s votes were ‘stolen’ under your watch when you were a senior NIS officer and you did nothing

First, I am not a spokesperson for NIS and anybody who has questions for NIS should direct their questions to them. Yes, I have equally heard the rumours but I was dealing with issues of finance, not political issues. But the insinuations are wrong, they are rumours and we should not be spreading them. I do not wish to reduce myself to a rumourmonger because none of these people walking around peddling these stories has evidence to show this is how Raila’s votes were stolen and this is how Wakiaga was sitting in the room where they were being stolen and this is why he did not come out to tell us they were being stolen.

Even if I were to tell people; was I to tell Raila or the people yapping around? Is it Raila questioning or someone else? From where I sit, our people need to respect institutions where people from the community also work.

They make it so difficult for our people who work in those institutions because of some of the insinuations they make.

If votes are stolen, the people to ask are at IEBC and not institutions like NIS.

Clearly, this matter has caused you a lot of duress

Of course. When you condemn Wakiaga for having worked at NIS, you are literary condemning all Luos who have worked in government institutions.

Two, such insinuations place Luos working in such sensitive institutions in a precarious position because it is like saying they are there to report to the Luo community what the government is doing. That sort of careless talk is like telling the government to sack all Luos.

I am asking the political class that I intend to join and hopefully show them the epitome of good leadership; that you do not go condemning institution where your sons and daughters work.

What will politics in Nyanza be like after Raila?

First, there is no post-Raila and anyone who talks about post-Raila politics does not mean well for the community they come from.

Raila has not indicated to anybody that he is retiring. My question would be those who want Raila to retire, what do they want him to do? Besides, even if it comes to that, he can only retire after achieving what he set out to do for the people of Kenya by spending many years in the trenches.

You are one of the names touted in Luo Nyanza as a possible Raila successor

No one groomed Raila and I do not believe in succession. One only needs to provide leadership and the people will decide.

If my name is being mentioned, I appreciate it but again, it is all for the people to decide.

My focus for now is Homa Bay and not the entire Nyanza so let me start with the first stride and if I win this then he rest will probably fall into place.

You feel you have what it takes to unseat Governor Awiti?

I have the experience to run a government and manage a big institution. I have run a government institution with a budget three times what Homa Bay receives every financial year. If I take that experience home then I believe it will add more value to the people.

I think for the 28 years I worked with the government, I helped put in place sound management practices that have made the National Security Intelligence Service to excel. That is the same experience I want to take to Homa Bay.

Has Awiti’s tenure brought development?

Development is tangible and can be seen; however every time I walk into Homa Bay County, I honestly cannot see the Sh6 billion he gets from the national government every year.

I feel I would have done a much better job with that cash; managed the resources better and put better administrative structures in place.

Is devolution working for Nyanza?

Luo Nyanza was touted to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of devolution having been sidelined by the Central government for years. But have our people felt the impact of pesa mashinani four years on?

Reality is that devolution has not been felt in Luo Nyanza, except in individual pockets.

Luos are complaining because they compare themselves with other counties who have felt the impact of devolution. That is why the four Luo governors are not sitting pretty.

I am telling the four governors that they have let us down and because they have done so, we must bring change.

That is why some of us who are capable of managing and administering those resources owe it to the people to take charge.

ODM governors, mostly from Luo Nyanza, have been petitioning Baba for direct nominations, your thoughts?

ODM is a party, popular movement. Many are those who seeking to vie on ODM and this has consequences especially for a governor who knows he has been under-performing.

Of course there are also concerns that party nominations could turn out to be unfair or chaotic, which due to insufficient resources. But a governor who knows he has done a sterling job for the people has no reason to fear.

You come from one of the smallest clans in Homa bay County. Won’t that do you in?

It will be unfortunate for the people of Homa Bay to ignore my experience and knowledge simply because I come from a minority clan. They should look at me as a son who can provide much needed leadership.

The incumbent hails from a clan whose members say they are the majority yet he he has failed as the governor. Coming from a major clan did not add value to his leadership.

I am asking the people of Homa Bay to move away from these clan issues as this will not put food on anyone’s table.

Jubilee is said to be funded by rich sons in the regions where it is popular, but there is a notion that rich Luo tycoons don’t fund ODM. Is this the case?

I am yet to see the list of these people funding Jubilee so it is for them to tell us who are those rich fellows who fund them.

Those are just theories. It is precisely for this reason that I believe parties should have a well-known source of funding and the funds be accounted for.

In America even one shilling donated to a political party must be listed. Why can’t we do the same?

Besides, I do not believe that Luos do not financially support the party; ODM would not be there if Luos are not funding it.

What do you think of Ruto’s 2022 Presidential Bid?

I wish him all the best.

Do you think Mt Kenya will vote for him?

No comment.

Best business decision

To venture into Transport business and opening up Mfang’ano Island which was a no go zone and was abandoned.