By the pen of Gitau wa Kung'u
"I think therefore I am!" So said the 17th century philosopher Rene Descartes.
Now, brilliant counsel Otiende Omollo was ruthlessly kicked out of JLAC by ODM just because he bravely spoke his mind alongside senior counsel James Orengo on the need to revise the BBI bill implementation.
It has not been debacled in our memories that Mr. Malala was stripped of his parliament deputy minority leader position on similar manner by ODM on allegations of supporting Matungu's ANC candidate in the Matungu byelection.
Kenyans still remember how Counsel Irungu Kang'ata was vociferously ejected from the Senate Chief whip position. His crime was writing an honest letter to the President and the leader of Jubilee Party expressing his insights on why Mt. Kenya region does not support BBI as solidly as "The Handshake" partners believed.
The betrayal of outspoken lawyer Miguna Miguna after he swore Hon. Raila in the infamous mock swearing in of Raila as the people's president in early 2018 shall never be forgotten. Dr. Miguna was deported while Raila Odinga danced his way to state house for "The Handshake" with president Uhuru Kenyatta whom Raila made his followers believe he stole his win in 2017 August elections! Poor Miguna Miguna!
Who knows if James Orengo will be kicked out too? Now, all of these truthful and wise leaders were unjustly treated just because they have courageously stood their ground and spoken out their true feelings and thoughts about the now controversial BBI issue. They have been punished for being right and honest! How ironical!
Hon. Raila Odinga, the leader of ODM, has been the political colossus and undisputed "king" of the Lake Victoria region (Nyanza) after the demise of his father veteran independence fighter and once vice president, Hon Jaramogi Oginga Odinga in 20th January 1994 to this day. The former prime minister in the controversial coalition (nusu-mkate) government first vied for presidency presidency in 1997 and emerged third after incumbent president Moi and Mwai Kibaki. He supported Mwai Kibaki in 2002. He has unsuccessfully vied for presidency in 2007, 2013 and 2017 and still replenishes his presidential ambition ahead of 2022 general elections.
For more than twenty years no other politician from Nyanza has conquered his ceremonial "Luo kingship" position. They call him "Agwambo," the mysterious one. So many brilliant and heavily pregnant political futures have been suppressed for all these years and failed to mature just because "Agwambo" is the indisputable lord of the lake region.
Dazzling leaders like Prof. Anyang Nyong'o, Senior counsel James Orengo, Sospeter Ojamoong', Robert Alai, embittered deportee lawyer Miguna Miguna among others have always vehemently supported, protected and even sacrificed humongous resources, time, ideas and even their own lives for Hon Raila to achieve his yet unsuccessful presidential dream for all those years.
Now, Otiende Omollo is another brilliant man who boldly expressed his thoughts and dared to challenge the enigmatic "Agwambo" and his repeatedly backfiring tactics, strategies, ideologies cooking his presidential aspirations.
The other intimate partner in the political bedroom of "The Handshake," Jubilee party is almost ramshackle since the handshake that disenfranchise the deputy president Dr. Ruto from the president, Embittered Jubilee party members then started to coacervate around Dr. Ruto. The faction endeared to Ruto was labelled as the "Tanga Tanga" group after their many travels in the company of Dr. Ruto across the country in his popularization campaign of his "Hustler nation."
Tanga Tanga most vocal members like Aden Duale was stripped of his leader of majority position in national assembly, impeachment of Kiambu and Nairobi counties governors Waititu and Sonko, firing of CS Mwangi Kiunjuri and removal of many others from parliamentary committees and government positions on allegations of corruption or integrity issues. They were immediately replaced by those who were siding with the handshake patrons.
Now, refusal of blindly following every word and decision of heavyweight political leaders like Hon Raila Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta without thinking and speaking out thoughts boldly seems to be gaining momentum. Nothing lasts forever. This spells a very phenomenal stage in the evolution of Kenyan political landscape.
Unless the top political party leaders resolve to listen to divergent views of their junior members, step aside voluntarily, nurture, mentor and pass the baton of leadership to young people, they will surely fail, lose power and influence and so will their parties. Like the sages say, a house divided against itself cannot stand.
The young people have evolved from being blind followers, sycophantic and puppeteers to their political idols. Indeed, change is inevitable!
Written by Gitau wa Kung'u.
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