Hi Gordon; A thousand apologies

Gordon,

With all due respect, I want to register my disappointment at seeing my private letter to you circulated to all and sundry.

We have not met with you, but I did this in good faith. I thought that given that we are in the same struggle, a little support from a colleague would push my political agenda a little further. I have fought many political battles and won with the little that I have. I hence thought that with a little more support, I could cement my current lead at Komarock. I did not realize that in asking for support, I hurt you. Pole for this, and I will not repeat the same.

I have been in the struggle for as long as I was in high school in the early eighties. When I was doing my form six in 1984, I was lucky to have been taught Literature by Ogony Adongo, and the book 'God's Bits of Wood', became a real eye opener for me in the history of struggle.

There after, I became interested in Kenyan politics, and since then, I have never looked back. I play my politics in my own right, and I have never had any apologies for supporting what Hon Raila stands for. I have also never sought his permission to post my political and social commentaries.

For records, because I hate personal confrontations, but love political fights, I have NEVER used the name of the Hon Raila Odinga in my communications with friends who have come up to give me some support. When I defend him in the net from self seekers, I have never held his brief. When I engage in his wars, I do not do it for personl reward from him.

I do that as my personal contribution to his win. Some people also support him by following him whenever he goes. Others support him in different styles. Mine has been do support him in all forums that I attend and address. And I have been very forceful and articulate in my support. I talk with authority and with reason. You cannot pin me down on that.

I have met with him on several occasions, but I have never acted under his instructions. I do not work for him. And all that I do, is because I am part of the struggle in my own rights.

It all started last year in November when I lost a brother-in-law, and someone from USA sent me 100 dollars in support. And he even called me thereafter on phone, and said, he could help my politics whenever I needed some support.

This was so encouraging to me. Someone I only knew in the net sending me $100. I was elated.

Thereafter, another person, also from USA called me, and even met with me in Nairobi. And since, he has been of support to me. A lady from Europe also called me later and offered her support. And many people have been happy with the work that we are doing.

I am hence not an opportunist as portrayed in the heading of the said post. I deserve all the support that can be forthcoming. But that support is not forced on anyone.

From the support I got, I realized that I could get help, and in the Biblical advice, seek ye out, I sought for financial support, and wrote similar letters to about 50 people. Out of the 50 people that I wrote to, only three have written back to me standing up in solidarity with me. 46 have never responded. But for you, you have put my request to people I did not reach out to. Whatever was meant to be achieved by this still fails my conscience.

One person even wrote to me asking for proof of who I was. And I was happy when he by himself dug out a little about me before I sent him referees. I think he did the right thing. As much as he did not know me, he never posted my letter to the whole world. And we are all happy working for the same cause.

It is not easy to win some of the posts I have. I am the chairman of LDP in Komarock, and it was not easy winning this. I was unanimously elected the secretary of ODM-K in Embakasi, and I bet, that is also not an easy achievement. And in winning all these, I never invoked the name of Hon Raila.

I am also going to win Komarock Ward for ODM-K, just like we did at the referandum under my command, and it is not going to be easy. We must fight it out.

I hence get pricked on the wrong side when Raila's name is thus brought in vaingloriously. This is an attempt to cast aspersions on me, which I would not want to accept, with all due respect.

I would have thought that if your brother or sister is in a struggle, the best you can do is to help him win the war, not to bog him down. And I thought such support is only voluntary, not forced upon you. Great leaders all over the world ask for financial support to power their campaigns. I am hence not the first to seek support, and I bet I will not be the last.

I have taken time to write to you, because, I was a little disturbed by this posting. I did not realize where we had any altercation to warrant this.

But if I wronged you, I want to also publicly seek an apology from you, with a promise that this will never be done again. The jury is out there, and they all bear witness to this.

Odhiambo T Oketch
Chairman; LDP Komarock Ward.
Secretary; ODM-K Embakasi Constituency, Nairobi