Luo Community Way Forward

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 12:33:44 -0800 (PST)

I have been soul searching which way forward as a Luo community.  The just concluded election as a community we organized and supported Raila as we have always done. But I knew things won't go well when Raila used the tribal card as his main campaign tool where he turned other tribes against Kikuyu in order to defeat Kibaki.   I found that irresponsible because at any time it could bring bloodshed.

I am from Ugenya constituency and most constituents wanted Stephen Okoth because Orengo once elected stays in Nairobi never comes back.  So we wanted somebody who will be with us as a community.  The Raila machine rigged Orengo in and that was the end of the people's choice. Raila did not talk about rigging then why is he speaking about it now. When Orengo went against Raila he was rigged out but when he supported Raila he was rigged in. So I have come to realize that Raila is not about justice or democracy or common man he is about power.

I think it is time as a Luo community we start supporting another family we have been supporting the Ondinga family for over 50 years but we have nothing to show for it..  Every government comes along they rub it the wrong way and we had to stay in the opposition all this time.  When Kenyatta offered Ondinga the Vice Presidency he continued to attack the government and even went ahead and started his own party when he was just a heart beat away from the presidency and I think that was very stupid.   Kenyatta appointed Moi and Moi was an example of what Odinga would have done, he remained royal to Kenyatta and he finally got his reward.  After Moi became president he invited Odinga to join his government.  Odinga started bragging that Moi could not lead without him.  Moi heard it and dropped him like a hot potato.

When Raila said tosha to Kibaki all he needed was to continue to be royal to Kibaki and probably when Wamalwa passed away he would have been made a VP but just like his father he started attacking the government from inside and he was eventually kicked out..   Now Kibaki would not want to hear of him in the government because he is a headache.

What has been polarizing even among us as a community without knowing is that the Odinga family has been portraying a communist image, a man of the people or the people's president but the family is as capitalistic as any one can get.  The fact remain the family is one of the richest in Kenya through the gas business, entrepreneurship which they have failed to lead us into.  I was surprised when Raila informed us that we can grow coffee in Nyanza.  I asked myself after 40 years since every other community who could grow coffee has grown it is the time Raila is talking about it?

Fellow Wajaluo it is time to give another family a chance, the Odinga family might have charisma but they don't have the wisdom to lead us as a community where we want to go.  Look at Oburu he sleeps for 5 years and then get elected almost unopposed as if he owns Bondo constituency just because his name end with Ondinga.  Now compare that with all the work Tuju did for Rarienda but because his name does not end with Ondinga he was thrown out or rigged out.

We have also to think again on how we conduct ourselves as a community, since independence the Kikuyus have change their royalty from Kenyatta, Matiba and then Kibaki.  We are the only people who have been stuck with one family.  If we have been held by a spell we need to get rid of it, we cannot keep backing the same family for a whole century.  When Matiba was rigged by Moi in 1992 did the Kikuyu people riot and loot and burn  Murang'a? No.  In 1997 when Moi rigged Kibaki did the Kikuyu in Nyeri riot loot and burn businesses? No.  We have to think again and abandon this type of leadership which radicalize the youth with nothing to offer.  We are suffering now in Kisumu because most of the stores are either looted or burned now who is going to suffer the Kikuyu the Kisii or Luo?  Jaluo.   The Kisii too have done away with Nyachae they have changed their loyalty.  The Kalenjin have changed their loyalty from Moi they have refused to stick with his sons so we need to wake up.

It is time to support a progressive leader who people can disagree with without being stoned who can lead Luo people in doing business, in doing farming and in wise politics.  By wise politics I mean a person who knows when to oppose and when to cooperate.  Opposing all the time is stupid and retrogressive.

Stephen Ochichi