POLITICS OF SHAME

Raila Odinga has reached a point where he has to, on behalf of all right thinking Kenyans face the issue of a “luo should not be elected” squarely and without fear. I, however, like the way he has of late approached the issue, head on and without fear. When President John F. Kennedy was declared unelectable by some in USA due to his catholic background, he did not hide away from the episode or tried pushing it under the table. He faced it head on.

John F. Kennedy said; “….I want to emphasize from the outset that we have far more critical issues to face in the election; …….the hungry children …., the old people who cannot pay their doctor bills, the families forced to give up their farms…. too many slums, with too few schools……. These are the real issues which should decide this campaign”.

It’s a pity the trio (MM, KM and WR) think that the only way to get to the top is to use tribalism. Why can’t they articulate how they are in a better position to tackle insecurity, hunger, poverty, disease etc? Because these should be the issues which will make them win the contest.

For once, I agree with Uhuru Kenyatta (ingawa ni kigeugeu sana, yuko ODM ama Kanu?) who has now seen that consensus is but bulls-t. R on the other hand has taken his case to the people for they are the ones who will elect him or not. All should face the ballot. "Mpaka debe iamue. Kila mtu anayegombea kiti asingoje kupewa kiti kwa boardroom (The ballot box must decide. Let no aspirant imagine that he will win the candidature in a boardroom)," Raila declared amid cheers from enthusiastic supporters

The above named trio should not talk of the tribes they belong to or the condition of their foreskin. To lay claim to ones foreskin as the basis of good leadership is to say the least, outright stupid. In fact a person whose brains are permeated with such rubbish has more or less shown that he has no capacity to think straight and beyond the box. Tribalism should not be a tool of campaign. There are pressing social and economic matters that must take the centre stage.
According to JFK, “…..war and hunger and ignorance and despair know no religious barriers.….So it is apparently necessary for me to state once again--not what kind of church I believe in, for that should be important only to me--but what kind of America I believe in”.

The notion that a luo cannot lead because he is a luo has no scientific basis and should not be allowed to prevail. No tribe should be denied a chance to aspire to be whatever they would like to be on the basis of tribe. The luhya should not be denied their rights simply because of backward and retrogressive belief by some Kenyans that they (luhyas) can only make good watchmen, the belief that Kikuyu are thieves should not be trusted with leadership should be shunned etc. These are stuff that are left for the “uwanja wa mchonguano” and not taken seriously, especially in a presidential campaign, where every vote counts. Nobody should impose his culture or belief on other people.

JFK concluded “…. I believe in a President whose religious views are his own private affair, neither imposed by him upon the nation or imposed by the nation upon him as a condition to holding that office.”

The trio wanted to do a MKM on R, only that they showed their hand too early in the game; thereby leaving themselves open to ridicule. Lakini ngoja, hivi karibuni utawaona wamekutana press konfrens kukanusha madia kwamba ni watanda miongo ya ukabili.
“Fear not democracy my brothers and sisters” Raila Odinga.