Why I would vote for Raila Odinga

Cenya Ceyendi agues that for the sake of democracy itself, Kenyans should vote for Raila Odinga.

Whilst the political scenario in Kenya is as turbulent and exciting as one may ever wish it to be, the entry into the playing field of Kenyan politics between three leading contenders has been interesting to watch during this count-down to elections which will take place on the 27th December 2007. Although I was born outside Kenya, I maintain a keen interest in the developments there and am intrigued by just how the Kenyans will vote between the three contending players and the numerous parties which have been cobbled together in the last five years and some as late as the last few months.

On the one hand is the seasoned Kibaki who hurriedly formed PANU, hoping to recreate the same effect as NARC which was elected into power into 2002 but which rapidly crumpled. Mwai Kibaki , who was sidelined by Daniel Arap Moi in the pre 1990 elections, found his roots back to the desire for democracy which had catapulted him into Kenyan politics since the early 1960’s when he returned from Makerere to join Kenyatta’s government as a junior Minister. Although he had served in the Kenyatta and Moi governments, he was the unlikely contender yet Kenyans coalesced behind him to make him the de facto president of Kenya from 2002 – to 2007. His incumbency gives him an edge as does his long experience.

On the other, are Raila Odinga of the ODM and Kalonzo Musyoka of ODM- Kenya which splintered from each other earlier this year after delivering a blow to the Kibaki-led referendum last year. ODM splintered from the former NARC after internal wrangling, most of them dating to KANU years where Raila, Musyoka and Kibaki had all served at one point. So it could be said that the ODM, ODM-KANU and PANU are all part of a KANU wrangle.

Kalonzo Musyoka does not really seem to be a genuine contender for this two horse race. He does not have a track record, having quietly worked with Moi for several years and is tarnished by this track record although he served as the foreign minister and drew appeal for his smooth appearance/operations both in the region and internationally. However, until recently when he splintered from ODM thus showing himself to be bold and determined, he is not recognised as a heavy weight and was rescued by Julia Ojiambo, another long standing colleague from the Kanu legacy.

There are several other contending parties, but for the moment, these three players appear the most interesting and significant although the entry into the presidential field by the clergy and women frustrated for being “outsiders” from the original KANU group of contenders brings vivid colour to the game and there are and the stakes to play for a high at least at the local level.

Many young Diasporic young people like me have been watching and debating who we would choose of the three leaders and many of my friends are dismayed that I would choose Raila Odinga, not because I believe he will bring much change to Kenya or he and his party are above the allegations such as those of corruption, but because I believe that he has the greatest potential to change. Change, which my friends convince me is not always the antidote to the misery of millions of people and maybe, continuing treading the known path and maintaining “stability” might be.

I tend to differ and argue that if this is their reasoning, then that would give me even greater reason to vote for Raila since we can always come back to the tried and tested path which we already know and detest! Besides, as the saying goes, nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Odinga promises change by addressing amongst other things, the neglected regions and the question of decentralisation which has tended to favour the already favoured ethnicities of the Central region which also benefits from its close proximity to Nairobi and its very large population. I have nothing against all this, but, this is not itself a reason to govern for eternity and could set a bad precedent from which we may never recover.

I am one of those people who is tired of this whole polarisation around the myth of ethnicity which has been taken to new heights through the Kibaki years which has sunk to new depths. The spell has to be broken symbolically so that “other” communities can feel released from the yoke of the unstated Kikuyu supremacy in Kenya which belongs to all the nations of Kenya and also from the Muthaiga types who do not see the contradiction of their actions and the wars that their relatives and ancestors died for!

No person is better placed to break this spell than Raila who is seen to hail from the “rival” ethnicity of the Luo. I know that this is not a good argument, but it is one which is playing on many people’s minds and will be used to determine who wins or loses the elections. Besides, I have a multiethnic identity and this has never bothered me. My parents come from two ethnic communities in Kenya and have managed not only to have a long harmonious relationship but to also produce me in the bargain. For many young Kenyans, despite what we have heard, we do not want to be dragged into past myths about the differences between the ethnicities in Kenya. We do not understand or believe in the myths which I understand were started as part of the divide and rule policies of the British colonials.

On this front, Kalonzo Musyoka is compromised by being Kamba, not through any fault of his own, but through association as the Kamba nation has close traditional, social affiliations to the Gikuyu who are their distant cousins from what I am told.

More seriously however, has been Raila’s capacity to steer the political focus of the country towards a democratic agenda, whether through his activities as a student, through his political activism or through his engagement with the political process. He ensured the toppling of Moi through fortuitous footwork or through genuine political genius. His desire not only to become a politician in his own right, but to also continue the tradition of Jaramogi Odinga Odinga whose legacy was NOT YET UHURU is formidable. Raila could have gone to become a business man or engineer but choose to risk his life several times to bring about change in Kenya. This is a man of courage and holds the longest record of detention in Kenyan history.

Finally, the real reason I would elect Raila is because of the three candidates, his vision for change genuinely seems to stem from deep inside him. I believe that Raila represents the best unifying factor for divided nations but also has the potential for seeing through the changes for which Kenyans are so hungry. He has also represented the urban people, some of them the poorest in the country. He is also respected internationally in Africa and beyond for his Pan African ideas. He represents the possibility for a unified nation and between the three contenders; he has the best possibility of confronting the legacy against myopic ethnicity and regionalism.

He is the best hope for change in Kenya and this is the measure on which I have made the decision why I would cast my vote for him. If he can commit to rid corruption and this is genuine, to unite the nation, to deliver the constitution, to decentralise resources for the marginalised and poor communities, I am confident, he will make it to the State House in a few days time. I have bet my friends who have decided to ostracise me: Then he said Kibaki Tosha and now he says Kibaki Toka.

I hope that the issue of dual citizenship is resolved as I intend at minimum to vote or run for office next time. I think the older generation will be retired by then and we in the Diaspora can bring freshness to the processes. Bring those elections on and may Raila win for change.

*Cenya Ceyendi is an activist of Kenyan origin living in London

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