Many young people forget Raila Odinga gave people courage to walk away from the then powerful Kanu government, and his ‘Kibaki Tosha’ endorsement propelled Mwai Kibaki to the presidency.
It is easy to forget that when Kibaki got into a car crash, Raila marshalled him to hospital and ensured the campaign continued like clockwork. He famously said, “Our captain is injured but we shall continue and win the match for our captain”. And he delivered.
Raila delivered on his promise of a new constitution with a devolved government, which we now celebrate as a key pillar of our government structure.
In a few months, we will be heading to the polls again to elect the fifth president of Kenya.
The question is always ‘who would make the best president for our country?’
As a woman and a working mother, I ask, “Who would be the best President to advance the cause of women” in what is still largely a society favouring men.
Having worked closely with and for Kenyan presidents, I have had a privileged view of what it required to operate from the seat of power and away from the cameras. Working with Kibaki on his presidential campaign in 1992, I saw his no-nonsense practical approach and experienced his dry sense of humor, carried through to when he took office as President. These qualities shaped his presidency and defined how he approached government delivery.
For President Uhuru Kenyatta, despite his privileged upbringing, he has always been charming, charismatic, patient, and down to earth. He has a way of making people comfortable.
But one name has always eluded State House: Odinga. We owe Raila for his magnanimity, his moral courage, his resilience, his patience and his passion, for his charisma and his common touch, for his political brilliance and above all his ability for forgiveness and reconciliation, even when he has been treated badly. It is due to him that Kenya has, on several occasions, avoided a tribal bloodbath.
Devolution has brought government and service delivery closer to the people. No one has been more instrumental in pushing for fairness and equity, and in calling for a more unified nation based on these values than Raila.
I have seen him and Mama Ida up close during the various tough periods when he was incarcerated and through difficult election cycles. What is remarkable is that he has not changed what he stands for. Neither has he stopped agitating for the things he believes we need as a nation, such as hoping for a more cohesive and united Kenya, less polarized on tribal lines.
For women, Raila is an ally in his commitment to building relationships and understanding the social privilege conferred by his gender. As someone who has worked closely with him, he is genuine in his commitment to ensuring gender equality, and fully understands the responsibility to ensure a more level playing field.
He is a feminist. While we are yet to have a woman President, I believe no one would be better for women in Kenya than Raila. Lest we forget, Raila supported Keroche Breweries when very few wanted to publicly be associated with a local brewing entity.
A man who’s married to an equally strong woman in Ida, he has always wanted to see women succeed.
Never one to run away from responsibility and accountability, it is a matter of public record that in government, he always had the best run ministries and delivered on his promises. Raila planned and executed the much needed road bypasses network during Kibaki’s government. Even his rivals commend him for his hard work in government, when politics is put aside and he delivers on the task for the sake of all our people.
During these trying times, Kenya needs Raila, if it is to achieve its promise and ‘pull together’ in the spirit of our founding Harambee. In Raila Odinga, this nation will be well served equally and equitably.
Gina Din-Kariuki is the chairperson of the Gina Din Group. She writes in her own capacity
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