OPINION by:
Omwami Sande Oyolo
The National Coordinator
Signs are so clear that Ruto’s 2022 chief opponent for Kenya’s Presidential seat is none other than Raila Odinga.
This is going to be Raila’s 4th run for the presidency which unfortunately he has lost all of them badly.
There’s alot of drama to try to camouflage this truth.
The return of Jakoyo Midiwo to the Raila Odinga presidential strategy team, Elizabeth Ongoro and Reuben Ndolo’s return to, albeit violently, manage the Nairobi vote and the regrouping of the bloggers and populist social media fellows points to the mounting of a Presidential campaign team. Some like Viscount K’Owuor, a prolific writer, who had been send to Mudavadi’s ANC on a spy mission has recently officially announced his return to the Raila’s corner.
The rearrangements in Parliamentary Committees is not also by chance. After 2017, most NASA minority leadership seats were unashamedly either awarded to ODM MPs in Senate and at the National Assembly or more particularly to MPs from Luo Nyanza. This happened amidst complains and protests by others from Western, Coast, Kisii and Ukambani regions. Nambale MP Bunyasi and Hon. Momanyi of Wiper for example are among those who were unhappy then.
But with campaigns shaping up the flawless media darling Senator Moses Kajwang, the fire spitting Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malalah, Hon. Otieno Wandayi among others are targeted to pave way for Prof. On geri, Ledama ole Kina, among others to remove the skunk smelling Luo image of ethnicity in ODM and in the Raila Presidential candidature.
This camouflaging, however, is meant to target the populous Luhya voters, the coastals and the flipping Maa people all hitherto loyal Raila followers.
Amazingly, Luhyas have been supporting Raila with mountains of balloted votes in 2007, 2013 and 2017 general elections. Don’t forget that Busia and the Bukusus of Bungoma and Trans Nzoia also voted for his father Oginga Odinga on Ford Kenya in 1992. All with zero returns! It’s therefore feared that a Luhya voter is fatigued and keen on fielding one of their own. The fact that Raila Odinga is a perennial loser and an emerging Professional contestant doesn’t make matters any better.
Three gentlemen are therefore lined up to be the flag bearers for the Luhya Nation. Musalia Mudavadi leads the pack. Others are Senator Moses Wetangula, the former Senate Minority leader and Governor Wycliffe Ambetsa Oparanya the current Kakamega County governor and reigning Council of Governors Chair.
Infact the three gentlemen are under pressure to vie or else waiting over their shoulders are other 3 decent Luhya men eyeing to be Dr. Ruto’s running mates. Senate Speaker and former Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka, National Assembly Marjory Chief Whip and the House ranking MP for Mumias East Hon. Benjamin Washiali Alias Ling’ina, and Professor Moses Malulu Injendi the quiet calculative MP for the Kakamega’s vote rich Malava Constituency and Vice Chair Education and Research Committee of the National Assembly.
On the sidelines are Dr. Boni Khalwale, the venom spitting bull fighter and the eloquent Bible quoting Bumula Independent MP Hon. Bishop Mabonga. Not to forget, with the demise of the BBI Reggae dance, Hon. Moses Kuria’s Parliamentary process Constitutional Amendment Bill is headed to the House. This will bring into law positions of non-executive Prme Minister and two deputies, and that Ministers be named from among Parliamentarians with a few technocrats.
With this move the gates of opportunities for a Luhya Deputy President are wide open. The late Veep Kijana Wamalwa’s spirit will have been comfortably appeased. And mulembe Nation will be happy being in the Presidency. In the Raila Dynasty lineup all a Luhya can be is way below a Deputy President. Raila naturally holds Luhya leadership with great contempt that’s why he fronts his people Atwoli and Malalah to control Luhya affairs for him.
A Ruto Presidential candidature will then reward handsomely the stubbornly loyal and populous Mt. Kenya voters with the Prime Minister’s position and several powerful Ministerial seats. Prof. Kindiki, Moses MK Kuria “Kanda ya Rùrii”, Kimani wa Ichungwa, the no nonsense Alice Wahome, Hon Mwangi Kiunjuri, Cate Waruguru, Ndindi Nyoro, Mithika Linturi, kimani wa Ngunjiri and Mathira MP Gachagua are front runners for these positions.
And, either Gov. Hassan Joho or the suave Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi will grab one of the Deputy Premierships with a Cabinet seat. If they hesitate power abhors a vacuum therefore Hon. Jumwa is one to watch as the campaign shall be targeting the long neglected Mijikenda Community, that of the great late legendaries Juma Boy Juma, Ronald Ngala and Karisa Maitha the Great!
The second Deputy Premiership twinned with a Cabinet seat is to target the likes of the fresh Chair Senate PAIC Sen. Ledama ole Kina and Hon. Soipan Tuya the Narok County 2nd term Women Representative, or may fall on one of the Kamba greats, whichever that will see the light faster. My hunch tells me that the most impatient Governor for Machakos Alfred Mutua may want to greet Dr. Ruto again albeit softly this time round.
If they tarry Gov. Sonko, a man whose stars are always ready to align in his favour won’t falter in grabbing the chance. It’s time like this that one wants to cane, to wake up the sleepy Kalonzo Musyoka and the workaholic Professor of Kivutha Kibwana from the dreams of Raila Odinga ever becoming President. It shall never happen in this lifetime. Wake up teacher!
Otherwise, the camouflage of whether or not Raila Odinga will vie for President in 2022 should end immediately. The lie that Raila Odinga’s Presidential ambition was not part of the Handshake plot should also end. Mutahi Ngunyi, a renowned political analyst and political science professor, has recently been linked with an appointment to the coveted position of Political Adviser, a position once held by the one ever mysterious Nancy Gitau.
Such an appointment is not by chance. In 2013 managers of the Kibaki succession, led by Prof. Nick Wanjohi seconded Prof. Mutahi Ngunyi to Musalia Mudavadi Presidential Campaign Secretariat, and yours truly here, then as Director of campaigns at that secretariat, worked with him. So he is a man used for Presidential succession missions.
Back to our subject matter, fortunately, whether Raila or his whatevers come for President in 2022 against Dr. William Samoei Ruto there’s nothing the matter.
What’s important is that in 2022 there shall be an appointed date between the DYNASTY and the HUSTLER NATION, and the Hustler Nation will win with a landslide!
Omwami Sande Oyolo
The National Coordinator
Friends of Ruto Movement
(FORM Tunayo)
