Raila’s Visions…

May 8, 2007
By kenyanentrepreneur
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It looks like it’s going to be Raila vs. Kibaki. I’m not going to talk about the other presidential candidates because frankly, they have no chance of making it (and on that point, can somebody please beam Najib Balala back to earth? does he honestly believe he’ll be elected president?). Let’s just keep it real here: Kenyans will never vote for an Arab/Muslim.

Actually, let me expand on this point. If you belong to certain ethnic groups in Kenya, the chances of you becoming president are pretty much slim to none. Maybe in 30 years, when Kenya is a less tribal country, people will actually vote on the issues as opposed to the tribe, but in present day Kenya, if you are a member of any of these groups, you simply have no chance. What ethnic groups are these?

  • Indians
  • Somali’s
  • Arabs
  • All “non-Jesus” loving people (atheists, Buddhists, Hindu’s, Muslims, wakorinos’, etc, etc.)
  • I’m not going to be like mama kayai…oops, I meant to say Maina Kiai (forgive me. They’re both so maternal that I sometimes confuse the two. Hug me Maina and wipe away my tears, put feathers in my pillow and sing me a lullaby).

    Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that I’m not going to be like Kiai and sing kumbaya songs about why we all can’t just get along. I’m taking Kenya as it is: a tribal country full of divisions.

    On to Kibaki and Raila: I’ll be satisfied with either Kibaki or Raila as president. I don’t think either of them will screw up the country as badly as Moi. I like somethings about both and I don’t like other things about both. What things are those? First, Raila.

  • I like Raila’s passion.
  • I like his fighting spirit & he gets brownie points for spending 10 years in detention.
  • I like his wife Ida Odinga – she went through a very difficult time during his detention and she warned Raila not to deal with Moi, but he refused to listen to her.
  • I like the fact that Anyang Nyongo is a close aide and advisor. If Raila puts Nyongo in charge of the economy, Kenya will be fine.
  • I like James Orengo who is also closely allied to Raila. He’s a smart lawyer and would make a good Attorney General if given the post.
  • What I don’t like:

  • Raila tends to lose focus sometimes. Does he have ADD? Calm down dude! and focus on getting one thing done first before you move on to the next.
  • I don’t like his power sharing suggestions (prime minister, 1st vice-president, 2nd vice-president) why would he want to share power with individuals who were not elected for those posts? if the voters give you power, they expect you to use it for their benefit. If you don’t do so, they will hold you accountable and no one else (& that’s the way it should be).
  • Next is Kibaki.

    What I like:

  • He seems to have done a reasonably good job with the economy and the general running of the country.
  • I like the fact that he is not an extreme micro-manager like Moi and is secure about his intellectual and educational credentials.
  • What I don’t like:

  • He can be too aloof, especially when it comes to identifying with the needs of the poorest Kenyans.
  • His age and his health: Does he have the stamina to do another five years? with a vice-president who is also quite old.
  • I don’t like his “clickishness” — Does he only listen to old, rich, Kikuyu men? I would like to see him expand his inner circle and get a diversity of opinions from people who don’t come from his world (btw – why isn’t Wangari Maathai a full minister?)
  • And that’s it.

    It looks like Kibaki will run on the economy, while Raila will tout the tribal imbalance and the lack of progress in tackling the disparities between the rich and the poor. I guess we’ll see who’ll come out on top.

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    9 Responses to Raila’s Visions…

    1. MainaT on May 10, 2007 at 10:58 am

      While i think its too early to say that it will be Raila vs Kibaki, i like the balanced and factual analysis. They both have good and bad pts and are to a certain extent a “known quantity” unlike say Kalonzo, who i suspect is far worse than he comes across.
      H/ever, its still depressing that no other Kenyan is standing up with a far more exciting vision for our motherland. So how about it KE?

    2. kenyanentrepreneur on May 10, 2007 at 11:19 am

      Kalonzo is spineless and lacks passion. I read an interview in the Nation that he gave and was not impressed with his answers at all. It sounded like he hadn’t really thought about why he wants to be president.

    3. [...] “It looks like it’s going to be Raila vs. Kibaki,” writes Kenyan Entrepreneur: I’m not going to talk about the other presidential candidates because frankly, they have no chance of making it (and on that point, can somebody please beam Najib Balala back to earth? does he honestly believe he’ll be elected president?). Let’s just keep it real here: Kenyans will never vote for an Arab/Muslim. [...]

    4. Funika on May 11, 2007 at 7:55 am

      Raila vs kibaki,its either going to be one of them.I will prefer Raila to kib coz he raila belongs to group of commited reformists and revolutionaries,ug has had its rr in mu7ni,Tz in nyerere,rwanda in paul kagame and now its time for the strogest nation in eastafrica.The other thing is Raila is youg educated,knowledgable,and pert of percell that brought changes which mzee kibaki is enjoying now,lastly my vote will not go to raila coz he helped bring down kanu dictatorship but bcoz i belive he got what it takes to usher in poltics of selflessness.as for others like uhuru,ruto mdavadi etc they should simply forget it,to uhuru if he cant control the drink,how can he guide a dynamic nation like ours.

    5. kenyanentrepreneur on May 11, 2007 at 11:18 am

      Funika,

      Are you a Luo? I’m just curious because I’m trying to figure out if non-luo’s will swing towards Raila (although I’d eliminate Kikuyu’s from that swing vote because I’m assuming that 90% of the Kikuyu vote is going to Kibaki)

    6. steve on May 28, 2007 at 8:53 am

      For more information on Raila vision, please check out http://www.whyraila.com. Has his vision and the reasons why he should be the next president of Kenya.

    7. Edwin Ochieng on December 6, 2007 at 11:58 am

      Kibaki is busy giving other regions Districts and posting his kinsmen there while Raila is visiting the same districts and getting the votes. Not as many districts in his home area. Terrible thing to have an abusive President

    8. browneyez on February 22, 2008 at 11:20 am

      :neutral: Raila or Kibaki? at this point I think I just want peace people. I think i’ve seen enough already. I dont feel Raila or Kibaki. they promise us things then the minute they get there the forget and start thinkig about themselves families and pals and returning favours to those who got them there. like what can you say about this adopt a light mama being backed by this guys to me mayor? is that a favour being returned? she must have really hooked them up them. Kibaki- wacha tu. i think Moi was even better they guy had guts unlike Kibaki lucy is even better she runs the show. as for Raila I always wonder what he’s up to plus it doesnt help the way all the chaos lately is being blamed on him and Ruto. anyway last resort for us is prayer that’s where ive gotten every once in a while I say a little prayer for Kenya. people are dying, homeless, starving, geuss if somebody is not affected directly or seeing thir loved ones go thru it you cant feel me.

    9. Serenitee on March 17, 2008 at 4:10 am

      I guess at the end of the day they say like father like son the error.
      Look at it this way moi used to be the president of this country for 27 fucked up years and all this time all this leaders who really crave for power worked under him this means that whatever this guys are doing was as a result of how they were brought up by the “father”(moi).
      So at the end of the day peace is in your head and not in the country cos as it it no tribe stands the other.
      And as for our political leaders well what the hell there all just a bunch of hungry muther fuckers sorry to say it’s all about them fuck the country you live in.
      All God can save you.

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