DO RAILA SUPPORTERS KNOW THAT HUMMER / NYUNDO SLOGAN IS A BAD CAMPAIGN TOOL?

If I was in the Mombasa campaign rally and was mandated with making sure that Raila is not only nominated to be ODM torch bearer but also become the next president of Kenya, I would have shut up the hecklers who kept shouting Nyundo or hummer. People would begin to say that the hecklers were within their democratic right to shout their lungs out. However, within this shouting, there is a lot to be read. First questions is whether the politics of Kenya has climbed the reasoning ladders in which each leader is given ample opportunity to be heard. Secondly, were these hummer shouters solicited/paid or genuine reasonable supporters. Thirdly, whether the supporters of Raila understand the message the voters on the fence understand by their hummer call.

One important question is what is Nyundo or hummer? What does it depict? A hummer that drives through poverty or poverty that is instigated by the hummer. Pride of the “I have” in the presence of have nots or a sense of provision by the haves. Excessive, unnecessary pride and arrogance or the possibility that if you are like the hummer (Raila), you may also own one. Whatever Raila handlers thought they could achieve by doing this, I do not see. Either I am very myopic or these people are ridiculously incompetent.

I believe the drunk hecklers do not understand any of this. For I know a non sycophant or a reasonable Raila supporter in their right mind who wants to hear all points of view to make an informed decision could have not lived with this humiliation of this shouting the next day. I strongly believe those hecklers are the usual ones. The ones who wouldn't let you put your point across while they have nothing to say. I believe many of them do not even have voter cards.

The question, is why would Raila handlers bring them in and why did they allow them to mess up a rally in which Raila's popularity was to be tested? Popularity is not in how many people can shout but in how many people show the real support. The real support in convincing the non-convinced, the real support in giving the other contenders a chance to speak while convincing them that my candidate is the right person now through reasoning, the real support in showing solidarity behind truth and castigating stupidity across the board irrespective of who displays it.

Nyundo is the hummer, a costly vehicle in the presence of abject poverty. We agree the price was inflated by the newsmen but by the standards of our republic, this is a very expensive car being driven by one who believes in fighting for poverty. I know Raila supporters are obsessed with the pride that their guy has an expensive car to an extent that they ignore how this will make him loose votes. At this point , one single vote can make Raila's dream come true and more taken away may just end his presidential ambition for good.

One major criticism of the luos is that they perpetuate extravagancy at the expense of development. It is a generalization of the luo community but the trick has worked in scaring away the non luo voters from Raila. Why would Raila supporters provide the opposition with a weapon? I believe the Kibaki's and the rest were laughing when they saw this in the news. "You see we told you, he is the hummer, he is the multimillion shilling car which does not put food onto your table”. The argument is that Kibaki has a more expensive car or cars but a parallel argument is that Kibaki and the rest have not been called Rangerover, Mercedes or things like that.

The slogan "Hummer" or "Nyundo" must end. It is popular in Nyanza and not popular in the rest of the country. It subtracts and doesn’t add. It is hurting Raila's campaign.

It is time Raila supporters stop being sycophantic and concentrate on making sure that Raila wins. They can always sing and carry him on their shoulders after the Rally but they should never stop any presidential candidate or even Tuju from speaking his mind anywhere, including in Nyanza. Political thuggery is archaic and it may still be good for winning local election. However, it is a recipe for loosing the national election which is the most important election for Raila.

Barack Abonyo