OMWENGA: Pitfalls Matiang’i must avoid in presidency campaign

Running for president is no walk in the park. As anyone who has vied for the presidency and those who worked closely with him or her will readily affirm, the exercise is not for the timid, the weak, or unprepared. It is also not for the fearless, strong or the most prepared, otherwise, Raila would have been president a long time ago. That’s not a contradiction, but the reality of Kenyan politics, which continually evolves, depending on time and season.

All serious presidential candidates face similar opportunities and obstacles and how they take advantage of or overcome them is often what makes the difference between those who are sworn in as president and those who go home empty-handed after a general election.

Some will argue Raila has never gone home empty-handed even after he won but was not sworn in, but that’s a discussion for another day. Suffice it to say, this phenomenon is now being put to an unprecedented test whose outcome will remain unknown until after 2027.

Objectively, there is only one serious presidential candidate for 2027 who can seriously take on and defeat President William Ruto.

Innately, everyone knows who that is. Outwardly, it depends on who you ask, but no serious person can name anyone other than former Super CS Dr Fred Matiang’i or former Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka. Had he not made his intentions clear that he is not interested in vying for president in 2027, it would be logical and right to include former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

Gachagua. However, has made it known his sole mission is to make Ruto “Wantam”.

The question is, who will Gachagua support to head the opposition ticket between Matiang’i and Kalonzo? The jury is out on that but take it to the bank both potential candidates have their aces up their sleeves, waiting to play them depending on Gachagua’s decision.

But that doesn’t mean a win with the ace card means the same thing for both candidates; rather, Kalonzo’s ace card may give him a fruit as his trophy, while Matiang’i’s will give him the whole fruit farm as his trophy.

This is not lost on either candidate and, therefore, each will play to their strengths while keeping their ace cards securely fastened up their sleeves, ready to play them when needed.

In the meantime, there is work to be done, especially for Matiang’i, who is a new entrant into this side of politics, as opposed to the other side, where he played a key role in helping former President Uhuru Kenyatta govern.

For his part, Kalonzo has a long resume that is both a curse and a blessing. In response to a post Kalonzo made on Facebook listing his kilometre-long list of accomplishments, a reader congratulated him and at the same time offered his humble advice: well done, time to retire.

Matiang’i, on the other hand, is relatively young, energetic and has his own proven record in all areas that matter most to all Kenyans.

All he needs to do is mount a positive campaign that showcases what he will do as president.

He must, at the same time, avoid the following pitfalls:

Moles masquerading as “friends” or supporters. Every serious campaign has them; the question is what to do with them. The answer is to simply hold your nose and deal with them as your enemy within. You already know who they are, and by now they know you know.

Besides moles, there are those who are or eagerly wish to be part of the campaign but bring negative energy because of their insecurity, short-sightedness, lack of the skills or tools necessary to help a candidate win. They are always looking after their selfish, egotistical interests or tendencies that, without fail, do nothing to help the candidate win but do the opposite. A candidate cannot push them away, but must find a clever way to keep them in camp.

Then, of course, there is the mother of all pitfalls and that is the minefield a candidate must successfully navigate around, and these are the tactics deployed by State House operatives and their allies.

Fortunately, as former CS for Interior, Matiang’i is well equipped to deal with all three groups.