November 26, 2024

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Raila’s Ten Achievements That No Other Kenyan Politician Has Accomplished

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The son of independent Kenya’s First Vice President is the most talked about politician in our local politics in recent years. He is loved and loathed in equal measure.

Since 1980s Raila Odinga has been in the front-line, largely in opposition side keeping the government of the day on its toes.

Like his father Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Raila has been in sour and good terms with the last three regimes. That of late President Daniel arap Moi, his successor Mwai Kibaki and the incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration.

With his father Jaramogi Oginga

Unknown to many, Raila has pulled and achieved a number of stunts that no other politician in Kenya’s history has accomplished. These achievements are;

1) Raila is the only Politician who have changed party, faced a by-election and won back his seat.

That was in 1996 when he was in Ford-Kenya and the MP for Lang’ata Constituency. He declared to contest the Presidential seat in 1997 elections on NDP party.

He vacated the Parliamentary seat and contested it in by-elections using NDP ticket. He won it, defeating the likes of Fred Amayo of KANU.

2) He is the only party leader who has contested seat outside his ethnic backyard.

Even the self-declared Professor of politics late President Daniel arap Moi never dared to contest a parliamentary seat outside his Baringo backyard, even when his KANU party had numbers and was cherished.

Mwai Kibaki with DP and NARC kept it in Othaya and so Uhuru Kenyatta in Gatundu during 2002 presidential polls. But Raila has vied for the top seat while representing a cosmopolitan Lang’ata and not his ancestral Bondo constituency.

3) Has contested the Presidency the most albeit without success.

From 1997 when he made his first stab fat the top seat, Raila has contested it four times, three of which he came second and claimed has been robbed victory.

In 1997 he came third. Only in 2002 he shelved his aspirations and supported Kibaki and come 2022 he cannot be ruled out of the race.

4) Sworn himself a ‘President’, a treason but got away with it.

After he lost repeated presidential elections in 2017, Raila held a swearing-in event and declared himself ‘People’s President’ in front of his supporters.

Being sworn-in as ‘People’s President’.

Such a move is deemed a treason and punishment is life sentence but he got away with it. Only some of his foot-soldiers like Miguna Miguna tasted the wrath of government over this swearing-in.

5) Sharing government with a sitting President.

A stunt like no other he pulled on an African President. After botched 2007 election that was followed with bloody scenes, Raila forced Kibaki to share government with him.

Constitution was amended to make Raila the second Prime Minister in history of independent Kenya. He shared Ministerial and other big positions equally with Kibaki. President had to consult him on most projects. That is not a usual thing in Africa.

With retired President Mwai Kibaki.

6) Harassed by all Kenyan Presidents, reconciled with three.

Though he was not in direct conflict with President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta’s regime, he suffered the woes his father Oginga went through after he VP fell out with Kenyatta in 1966.

During Moi’s time he was put in detention, then betrayed by Kibaki who dishonoured their MOU they had before 2002 elections.

He had endless conflicts with Uhuru government for six years before the handshake.

Moi put him in detention.

Raila had reconciliation with Moi and was even made a Minister, with Kibaki they formed coalition government that stopped bloodshed and now handshake with Uhuru that has reduced political temperatures in the country.

7) Being the most fearless opposition leader.

Kenya has had great opposition leaders since the times of Oginga but his son Raila has maintained tempo in this docket than other opposition leaders.

Even when late Kenneth Matiba was opposition leader from 1992 to 1997 and Kibaki from 1998 to 2002, Raila was still vocal and even ouperformed them. He was vital to both.

He criticised Moi administration without fear and many a times he was put in detention and his family harassed.

With late President Moi.

After he fell out with Kibaki in 2005, Raila formed opposition that made the latter’s administration more accountable. Even while he shared government with Kibaki, he played watchdog role.

Before the handshake with Uhuru, he exposed dozens of scandals where billions of shillings were lost.

8) Maintaining an enviable, huge political base.

Since 1997 when he vied for Presidency for the first time and came position three with 667,886 votes, which was 10 percent of votes cast, the son of Oginga has maintained a political support that has made kings.

He enabled Kibaki oust KANU regime in 2002 and since then he comes second in the race with numbers almost equal to those of winners.

Addressing his supporters.

He has over 45 percent of voters in the country and for two decades he has kept this number, a feat no other politician has sustained for such period, even the late Moi who served for 24 years with stolen elections.

9) He has unmatched political shrewdness.

He has been in this game for long and unlike his rivals, you will rarely hear him make ambiguous statement that haunt him afterwards.

Even when angered he rarely hurls insults. He does not reveal his underbelly and when he wants to fight back ruthlessly he has his foot-soldiers do so.

Happy moments with President Uhuru.

He will expose big scandals, touch influential people but hardly be sued in court of law. He plays his cards with extreme shrewdness.

10) Good in spotting and nurturing firebrands.

Most of politicians who have pushed big changes in Kenya since multipartysm was attained have been those nurtured by Raila.

While insecure leaders quash fiery politicians, Raila embraces them and use them to his advantage.

Raila with Babu Owino.

Take for instance Ababu Namwamba, Babu Owino, George Aladwa, Millie Odhiambo, Hassan Joho, Evans Kidero and others who at one time have sacrificed big for him and many of them would not hesitate to do it again and again for Raila.