David Osiany with ODM Chair Gladys Wanga and her then Chief of Staff Charles Odhiambo, Raila Odinga and Raila’s Head of Security Maurice Ogeta on the sidelines of ACS23. / PHOTO: DAVID OSIANY
On this day, the Africa Climate Summit was underway, and the official opening was set. Baba Raila Odinga had already declared interest in the AUC chairmanship, but the government had not started supporting him yet.
As such, it was important for him to be in this ACS meeting, which was bringing together more than 13 presidents across Africa. However, there was a huge hitch: there was no official invitation for him.
I was privileged to be at the heart of the organisation for this event since our company, Crestwood Marketing & Communications Ltd was the official company hired to handle all communications, advertising, and PR for the event.
Seeing that my hero was sidelined, I walked straight to the coordinating team and informed them that PM Raila Odinga had been in talks with the President and they agreed that he should attend the event. Of course it wasn’t true, but I knew none of them was going to verify this information. As such, I urgently demanded for the VVVIP car pass, venue pass, and security clearance for his bodyguard.
I was, however, unable to secure a pass for an extra assistant for Jakom (chairman), which meant he would be alone. I quickly innovated around that issue, and since my staff and Crestwood Head of Shared Services Ms. Anne Mabwai was already part of the vetted and cleared VVVIP protocol team, I instructed her to ensure that immediately when Baba arrives, she drops everything and chaperones Jakom for the day. She was assigned PA to Jakom for the whole day.
With the passes all in my hands, I called Jakom and said, ‘Wuora, I have played monkey. I have your cards and you will sit with the Presidents.’ He was quite shocked, and we laughed cheekily about it. ‘Inyalogi? Kare inbe in mjanja ’ (Umewaweza? Kumbe wewe pia ni mjanja?) We laughed about it, and I then told him I’d look for his Chief of Staff, Mr. Andrew Mondoh, and hand him the passes.
I, however, strongly guided that he needed to be in his Capitol Hill office by 7am, as I had intel that presidents would be arriving by 8am. I promised to signal his security chief, Maurice Ogeta, and guide on what time they’d depart Capitol Hill for KICC. That night, I went to Mr. Mondo’s house and handed him the passes, asking that he report to the office earlier to enable coordination.
By 5:30am on the material day, I arrived at KICC to do final inspections of the arena alongside the military teams. When the protocol teams from State House and Ministry of Foreign Affairs arrived, I realised that there was no seat for him. When I pushed for it, they slotted Raila’s seat in the fourth row. I wasn’t going to stomach that.
Thankfully, the erudite Abdul Mwasera, then Principal Administrative Secretary to the Deputy President, arrived, and I got to learn that he was the overall head of protocol. Having worked with Mr. Mwasera at the Office of Prime Minister (a truly admirable gentleman), I reached out to him and asked him that we find a way to reposition the seat of Jakom.
I begged him to help so that Mzee is not humiliated.
When we spoke, he told me he had seen that and asked how to go about it logically. We quickly crafted a rationale: present and past Deputy Presidents and Prime Ministers would sit in front. And just like that, we moved the seat of former US Secretary John Kerry to the back and put Baba’s seat infront alongside that of former Ethiopian PM Hailemariam Desalegn and PCS Musalia Mudavadi.
With that, we were all set! Now the next hurdle was to deal with the upcoming series of surprises. At around 7:05am, the then Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua arrived and sat. He had been set to receive various Presidents into the auditorium and settle them before the host President finally arrived.
A few days earlier, Riggy G had vowed that Jakom would not attend the meeting. He chided him for wanting to be in that event to seek AUC votes and said, ‘hawezi ona’. So at 7:30, the Deputy President Gachagua was led by the protocol teams to proceed and take position in order to receive the Presidential entourage. Knowing that the time was ripe, I timed as he walked to the door and called Jakom and told him to be en route quickly.
He handed me to Ogeta so that I could guide him on the route to use because all roads were blocked and presidents had been designated a single entry. I guided Maurice appropriately to that very gate.
Riggy G stepped out to go and receive the first President. He was flanked by former AUC Chairperson Moussa Fakki. Once they took position to receive their first presidential guest, a black Land Cruiser was cleared across all security checks because it had the requisite car pass for Presidents.
Then lo and behold: RAILA AMOLO ODINGA disembarked at the presidential arrival. The event was being covered live, and all newsrooms and commentators were in utter shock!!! But their shock was nothing compared to that of the DP and most of government.
How did this man come here? How did he breach protocol? How??? How did he get here??? Sections of government panicked, and there was even an immediate circular done that revised the protocols for people coming to the summit. Because ONLY presidents were to use the gate Jakom used. But wasn’t he??? Wasn’t he a president, jowadu (my brothers)? Isn’t he one even in death?
Quickly thereafter, he was guided into the dais, and my assistant Anne took charge of him from the door and chaperoned him all day, ensuring he was just as comfortable as he always was with his other aides.
Ensuring he had everything he needed, and was guided whenever he needed to take a health break. Later, we organized for his access to the VVVIP lounge where Presidents were and he had lengthy chats with various heads of states as he wished.
Why did I take this risk? Because he was a father, and that is what sons do: they stay by their fathers in all seasons! I remember him calling me before he left so that I could see him off and his words, ‘Itimo tim malich ahinya Thuon’ (You have done a great thing, brave man').
He gave me a wide smile, the smile that almost says, ‘Wewe ni mkora kama Baba yako huyu’.(You are witty just like your father' The smile of approval that tells of the pride a father has in having fashioned a child well.
I leveraged my role to dignify my father because we were out of government and most people had taken off. He was unwanted but was still my hero. Wuora inega! Your death has robbed me of a father.
You’ve slept too long, Baba; please wake up and have breakfast . Asayi jaduong (I beseech you, my elder). Wake up and address the nation. Winnie yawa! JOWI!!! JOWI!!! JOWI!!!
