SAM OMWENGA: Kalonzo joining Azimio is a win-win opportunity

On the last campaign day for 2013, Cord presidential candidate PM Raila Odinga had a frantic day’s schedule.

The last rally for that day was to be held at Nyayo Stadium but before heading there, the ODM leader was to meet his A-team at Ole Sereni Hotel.

A few things stand out from that day for me.

One, it was the first time I met with Maj Gen (Rtd) Joseph Nkaissery, now deceased. I was just bemused talking to this towering Major General with the easiest going persona one could hardly suspect he was a general.

After a brief chat in a tiny room packed with who was who in Raila’s campaign, I left to make a phone call.

As I was making the call on the balcony, I saw Raila’s running mate and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka. He was in the company of other politicians I did not recognise but I was determined to talk to him.

So, I walked closer and sat at an empty table next to theirs and when the opportunity presented, I walked over and introduced myself.

As I spoke to the Vice President, he whipped out a piece of paper from his pocket and showed me a caricature of him with not so pleasant caption.

The conversation had quickly turned into the meanness and even callousness of many Kenyans on social media.

I told the VP I equally detest the same, having been the recipient of same from characters who did not know me but projected their hatred of Raila on me simply for supporting and defending him.

I also told the VP that even as I was one of millions of Kenyans who hated the fact he quickly joined President Mwai Kibaki as things were got worse following the 2007 elections, I had long since forgiven him, especially following his own asking us all to forgive him.

I also told Kalonzo that he can have someone peruse all my writings in my blog or social media and nowhere would he find that I said anything disrespectful.

We then went on to have the 2013 elections, which others and I have maintained neither Uhuru nor Raila won. But had we gone to a run off as we should have, Uhuru would have won largely because Raila’s campaign was just not what it was in 2007.

Some of the people who sabotaged Raila were at that Ole Sereni meeting of top advisers.

In 2017, there was a rematch, which was nullified in the historic Supreme Court decision led by Chief Justice David Maraga, now retired.

Raila withdrew from the repeat elections, citing a flawed system that was still in place.

Kalonzo, being the smart lawyer he is, knows whatever he and Raila agreed to in 2017 was predicated on a contingency that never happened.

More specifically, Raila was not sworn in as president, which was a contingency in their agreement. In so many ways, however, that contingency is set to happen come August 9 elections.

Kalonzo once more joining Raila will not only put him back on track to succeed the ODM leader as president, but will also put an addendum to a chapter in his political life that bares a blemish on his otherwise stellar political career. It is an opportunity he should not pass.

The precursor to all that, of course, is Raila being elected in August but this time being sworn as president.

All indications point to that being the case, even though others may disagree.

Samuel Omwenga is a legal analyst and political commentator

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