A Case for Luo Leadership in Kenya

Meshack,

As you, Okumu and others have well argued, compromising ideals to come up with leaders of compromise is a sacrifice that has proved rather costly. In any case, there is always a malicious ethnic stance which is ready to use a Luo idea/ blue print rather than let him lead or take the credit for it. In other words, a master-slave partnership exists between the past and present governors of our country, and Luo technocrats. Kibaki is trying to make history by isolating Luo technocrats from his government. How far it will go remains to be seen.

Anti-Luo leadership have argued that Luo people are too strict; in the words of a Luo proverb, ' Girango gima gweno chamo saidii!' Others have cited a percieved arrogance in the Luo character. I would answer this by saying that the average Luo is bold rather than arrogant; s/he admires courage,aesthetics and honesty but hates sloth, cowardice and dishonesty. He is athletic, artistic and outspoken. Luos have high regard for their women-folk; my own mother has always had her say in family, and social affairs. In fact she had current and fixed assets in the homestead, that my father had to request her consent before using. So where does this fear of dictatorship come from?

The Luo never had a Ruler/king per se but had 'Ruodhi' , people who had earned their positions of respect through courage, hardwork, oratory or wisdom. 'Ruoth' is a character trait of a person who has earned respect or his leadership positions(Odinga, 1967; Mbuya, 1938). Thus, 'Otieno n'gat ma ruoth' is a common expression. Hence there has never been a hereditary or elective post of 'Ruoth' in Luoland(save for the Luo-Babito in Uganda). The rise and fall of Odera Akango, is a classic case of a man who instead of earning the revered title of 'Ruoth', became a villain instead.

His 'transfer' by the colonial government to 'rule' the Wanga was not only a 'cultural blunder' but also comical to the extreme. This highly visionary and intelligent man, allowed himself to be used by the colonial government to flog and force his people to work or to go to school. It does not matter whether the academic achievements in Gem have tended to justify his means: except for a few dormitories in certain High schools named after him, his name is literally buried with him.

Honest criticism is welcome, but research on Luo government, and comparative studies on past leaders like Ramogi Ajwang, Luanda Magere, Gor Mahia,Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and Tom Mboya have drawn one parallel: their exemplary and almost legendary earned them their leadership. In an imaginary Luo state, in a gathering of peers and commons, people would respectfully listen when Tom Mboya was speaking, as much as they would give Gor Mahia a hearing. But they would still want to hear Ogutu Kipapi's story, much as he had knifed a head-man in an argument. If anyone is in doubt of what I'm saying, let him go to any public 'Baraza' on Mondays or Fridays and s/he will see the all inclusiveness, and good naturedness of such meetings.

Commentators have always theorised on differences between Jaramogi and Tom Mboya to build acase for disunity in Luoland,but closer scrutiny would reveal that intrigue, power-play by external forces drove them into a public duel. There was never a permenent fall-out( Parkin, 1978). In fact , I recall as only a kid of eight years,when Tom Mboya was assassinated in 1969, the Luo nation mourned collectively. This contrasts markedly with 1975 when J.M died; one cannot say that only his tribe mourned. One can risk saying that some of them actually rejoiced.

Times have really changed but, by and large, the Luo have tended to have a collective consciousness as a people. For a moment let us put aside the personality differences, the clan wars, and the latter-day greed and treachery: the only nation where people may still dialogue through song, proverbs( ngeche) and folklore( Apenjou bende usedhie eliel kata nyasi ma Odongo Arudhi wuoye? kata kuma Agwambo ganoe sigand opira?). They have an umblical cord through which they can learn to nurture one another, and live for a common cause in a long term engagement.

I submit that this collective consciousness is what causes terror in the hearts of certain people, and no wonder they have worked very hard to try and scatter it. I would say it is almost, but not exactly, the same bond Barack mentioned, which draws the Jews together. Football clubs like Gor-Mahia may never be the same again, if one understands the thread of my argument. It is something deeper than a love for tribe- religious one would say.

Having made that conclusion, it is imperative that we weigh our options very clearly. In my last submission I suggested that we give a unitary government a final go, failure to which we would present a memorandum of secession citing violation of our human and citizen rights. As Meshack has put it, secession can be done peacefully. Obviously, resistance will come: we may try other pro-active and possibly, counteractive ways.

Daniel Onyango