Agwambo’s need to be wary of Government’s mischief.

Recently, Raila announced the date of the launch of his vision for the country and official bid for the Presidency. From the seemingly elaborate plans and effective public relations that will involve live TV and Radio broadcasts, May 6th 2007 promises to be truly an epic day in the history of modern Kenyan campaign tactics. It is with this in mind that I feel obliged to offer a word of caution to his presidential bid team and Kenyans concerning this eagerly awaited day.

Any political commentator who has followed the politics of this country over the years knows the kind of mischief that the previous and current regimes have planned and visited on people who are perceived to be opponents and to an extension a threat to the status quo. Recent examples are the raid on the Standard media group and the whole Artur brothers saga.

It is with this in mind, that I venture to say that there is a possibility of the government trying effortlessly all the tricks within it’s political thuggery book to make Raila’s day a monumental failure. This would simply be done with the government planting its’ paid hooligans amidst would be jubilant and peaceful Raila supporters with the sole intention of creating chaos on the day and laying the blame squarely on Raila’s shoulders.

Already the Kenyan media scene is awash with government propaganda to the effect that Raila has a known penchant for political violence with fanatical, arrogant and chaotic followers usually doing his bidding. This propaganda I would grudgingly add has had it’s effect with numerous pundits perpetually attaching this tag to Raila with comments like him being the only remaining tribal chief, his family’s communist past, his dictatorial tendencies and alleged vengefulness all in an effort to paint him in a negative light.

Positively, word from the ground is that the majority of Kenyans are awakening to this decades old attempt to hoodwink them against the Odingas and by extension the Luos. For example Kenyans are asking why Raila is a tribal chief when he is gunning for the Presidency but a Njamba (hero) when actively backing and campaigning for someone else’s candidature for the Presidency. It is with this understanding of the level of propaganda and falsehoods peddled against Raila that Kenyans are emphatically saying to those who have accused them of following him blindly that it is Raila who follows Kenyans’ aspirations hence his campaign slogan of “Raila, the peoples’ President“.

Anduru Owang’
Minnesota, USA