OMWENGA: What has changed and remains the same since 2012

On December 22, 2012, I published an article that described how then Prime Minister Raila Odinga was picked as the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy flag-bearer.

In a colorful ceremony described in the media as reminiscent of the rally by National Rainbow Coalition leaders at the same venue on October 14, 2002 — where Raila endorsed Mwai Kibaki as flag bearer through the famous ‘Kibaki Tosha!’ declaration — Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka repeated the same lines, this time Raila being the beneficiary.

It is fully expected that much as Kibaki rode to victory virtually by the endorsement and the euphoria they created, so too will Raila ride to victory, even though one can say unlike Kibaki, Raila endorsement was a foregone conclusion because he long ago earned it.

Congratulating Raila is nonetheless still in order as the man is now at the pinnacle of his political career. But what a contrast to others who have done nothing but want to have nominations handed to them on a silver platter?

Raila has now embarked on his last fight for the presidency, which he must win to seal his legacy as the enigma who has done and sacrificed so much for the country along the way.

I am proud of Raila for this accomplishment and wish all of us can join in wishing him well and doing what each one of us can to make sure he is elected and indeed sworn-in as President.

It’s the right thing to do, if we care and/or love our country or have any respect for the rule of law of which ending corruption and impunity is part of. No one is a better champion of all these among those vying for the presidency than Raila.

That was on December 22, 2012, almost 10 years ago.

I stated that I wished that we all could join in wishing Raila well and doing what we could to have him elected but sworn in the ensuing 2013 elections.

We know what happened in 2013 and I have said time and again no one won the elections in the first round. However, Raila’s campaign was so poorly managed to the surprise of the system, which was bracing for a run off. However, because of poor campaign management, the vote was close enough for them to do away with the run off and they did.

Raila was nominated again in 2017, this time as the flag-bearer for the National Super Alliance. In the spirit of the handshake, let me just skip through what happened in 2017 and pick it up from what happened the other day at Kasarani.

I will repeat what I wrote as highlighted above to congratulate Raila for hosting a more colourful and more successful presidential bid announcement than we have witnessed since, perhaps, 2002.

I will, however, add a minor modification to say if Raila had sacrificed enough, fought enough for the country, and earned the love, admiration and support of the millions who voted for him in each of the times he has vied, he has now twice earned those accolades and twice deserves to be elected and finally be sworn as president.

That is not saying for the sake of it or empty rhetoric as some naysayer may dismiss it. It is a fact born of the reality we all know—including those in denial.

Question now is, will the only person who can floor Deputy President William Ruto in 2022 live to the billing and, in fact, floor the man from Sugoi?

The answer is, of course, yes!

If that is exuding misplaced confidence, think about it this way: Ruto himself would rather be in Raila’s position, truth be told.

Samuel Omwenga is a legal analyst and political commentator