Political dust blurring our vision from seeing true nature of Ruto-Raila deal

Geographically speaking, whirlwinds spark off confusion often because of the dust they raise. 

The dust blurs vision leading to guess-work by those affected by the phenomenon and generally disabling their objectivity in what they see. 

Similarly, political whirlwinds numb objectivity among political actors and the intelligentsia. Brilliant people submit to the dictatorship of the “public mood” dust. Knowledge and principles of logic are deployed to justify confusion. 

That’s how you get an intellectual uttering such words as “the Kikuyus ate. The Kalenjins are eating. We have every right to move closer and get our share.” 

This is what we are going through after President William Ruto had a handshake with former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Intellectuals of all ideological persuasions especially from the Nyanza and Rift Valley regions have gone crazy. They are applauding the Raila handshake with one of Kenya’s most challenged presidencies, whose government’s guilt seems to go against all the ten commandments -- for those who believe in Christian dogma. 

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Ruto has underperformed like no other President since independence. Quick with the tongue and smart on his feet especially at addressing political crowds Ruto has been unable to cause any major positive adjustment on the country be it economically, politically or socially. What was his largest vote block during the last election has turned against him citing failing businesses due to uncontrolled appetite for taxes.  

Despite this, the capacity to rebel against this regime has been diluted by the dust of the Ruto-Raila deal.  

This is not new. 

In 1993, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga had just lost the presidential election. He was, objectively speaking, the most deserving presidential candidate, but ethnicity denied him his historically deserved presidency. The Luo youth were angry. They approached him at Agip House for reflections on the matter. The dust in the air was hate against Mt Kenya communities.  

“Look at how Mt Kenya voted against us. They all voted for Matiba. They didn’t vote for you. Let’s ignore them in our future political strategies,” a beardless youth who was in the meeting said. His name was Oginga Randiki.  

Despite the huge dust that masked vision by the Luo youth, Jaramogi did not take advantage of this unreasonable political orientation. He could still see things clearly through the political dust. He asked them a question.  

“Who among you voted for Kenneth Matiba for president?”  

The youth went quiet. They had all voted for Jaramogi being Luo.  

“See! You are as tribal as the Mt Kenya youth who voted for Matiba.” 

The Ford Kenya youth were deflated.

The dust of anger against the Mt Kenya vote did not blur his objectivity. Compare this to Raila and Ruto isolationist electoral strategy.  

Earlier on, Jaramogi had been confronted by yet another dust of euphoria when a contest arose over the burial of respected lawyer SM Otieno. 

The 1986-87 contest pitied his wife Virginia Wambui Otieno and Otieno’s Umira Kager clan. Despite the huge dust of euphoria by his kin, Jaramogi opposed the clan arguing that a Luo could be buried anywhere. 

Jaramogi was condemned and described by lawyer Kwach as “a slow punctured politician”. Demonstrations were held in Kisumu against the man whose spectacles could see through a deceptive political dust.  

How many of us, especially the Luo intelligentsia, can look through the Raila-Ruto dust and call a spade a spade? 

The dust raised by our attaining of independence in 1963 confused many. Upon realizing that Kenyatta was using money meant for the Mau Mau land acquisition and resettlement, Pio Gama Pinto ignored the dust of Kenyatta’s national endorsement.  

After an exchange with Kenyatta over the matter in Parliament, he proceeded to compile the list of lands that Kenyatta had grabbed with a view to organizing a vote of no confidence in his leadership. He did so knowing very well that the public (dust) would not care much but because he was right, he opted to challenge the status quo.  

Call him a loser because he was killed but call him a Victor because the issues he raised resurfaced under the TJRC 50 years later. The point is why are people intimidated by temporary positive public opinion on this ugly handshake?  

Another positive dust was stirred up in 1980.

President Daniel arap Moi allowed Jaramogi to run for Parliament. Everybody expected him to tow the Kanu line. He defied the dust of support that came with the euphoria to get elected. He proclaimed his 1966 stand on land. He accused Kenyatta of having been a land grabber. He was denied nomination by Kanu on that ground.  

Going by the reaction of some intellectuals, especially Kalenjin and Luo, Ruto-Raila MoU dust has thrown many thinkers off balance which raises questions on their credentials as patriots.  

The 1991/92 multi-party dust once again blurred our vision. We found ourselves embracing conservative politicians. The end result was confusion among the electorate. We may have considered sticking to our lane but the dust was too thick. We have never recovered from that time’s inability to see through the dust of the multi-party moment. We sanitized our ideological opponents who derailed the march to a better Kenya. Euphoria disrupted our thinking as proponents of change.  

How can a globally disgraced government all of a sudden get approval from communities that boast of the best brains in Kenya?  

How do we defend the value of education when learned people like John Mbadi and lawyer Kaluma use national platforms to speak ethnic bigotry because of the reluctance to pay the price of seeing through this dusty winds?  

Artificial euphoria

Charles Rubia is another example in defying the majority. Right before the 1982 coup, a motion to repeal section 2A was brought to Parliament. The dust in the air was heavily in support of the introduction of the one party state.  MPs felt obligated to go by the wind, the dust of euphoria denied them vision. Only one MP voted against the motion: Charles Rubia. The rest supported the motion. Around the same time, I met Rubia at New Stanley hotel and told him that he was not alone. Patriotism demands that one keeps the courage and skill to see through political dust.

Rubia, who managed to spot crime in the move to introduce a one party State, build the foundation that gave Kenya the multi-party system a decade later. Why are we not inspired by these visionaries?  

Was Pio Gama Pinto wrong to have laid the foundation for a Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission that focused on land 40 years later?

In my last conversation with Raila, I asked him to consider implementing the TJRC report to rescue his legacy if he must join government.  

Raila’s artificial euphoria has blurred several people’s vision. Some intellectuals are borrowing scripts from Adolf Hitler. Majority have kept quiet. The handshake issue speared headed by Ruto and Raila calls for the least application of knowledge in establishing where the truth lies.  

The responsibility for speaking the truth lies in the court of knowledgeable  patriots. Communities targeted for derailment are challenged to up their morality to save the nation from cartels of self seekers.  

Last week, I was asked to give a talk on twitter in celebration of the Life of Bildad Kaggia focusing on lessons. I advised that those who feel unable to continue supporting progressive ideas should retire just like Kaggia. That is challenge to many second liberation people today.