I take this early opportunity to wish you Rt Hon Raila Amolo Odinga a good day as you celebrate your 67th birthday tomorrow.
You have had quite a jorney sir, from the time you were a small schoolboy to your lecturer days, your days as a backwater politician/activist now the PM of the republic and leader of the largest political party in Kenya!
This could be your last birthday out of state house if later this year Kenyans choose to give you the CEO seat. You see, I feel you could be third time lucky like Kibaki(92,97 then won in 02). You have given it a shot twice(97 and 07) and have a similar pattern to Kibaki(3,2...)
Call me superstitious but maybe, maybe your loss in 2007 was just that-a loss! You lost the election, Kriegler couldn't tell who between you and Kibaki won. No one was sure that you won, not even yourself, coz you know what you and your opponents did.
In the run up to 2007, you made the orange movement, a huge bus full of reformers, disillusioned poor Kenyans, people from your tribe, great thinkers, murderers, the corrupt, religious leaders, youth etc. However at some point you added the active ingredient that almost made you a winner- Anti-Kikuyuism. I submit to you that ODM without this ethnic hatred was just another party. This became the single most unifying factor for your followers.
You watched and smiled when your lieutenants attacked Kikuyus in rallies, internet and in the press. When some of your supporters started believing that you were going to give them a new socialist state where stuff would be free and the Kikuyu tribe would be humiliated and their 'stolen' wealth given to them, you said nothing.
The elections came and even before you could be sworn in, your arrogant supporters seized property from the 'enemy' tribe as a benefit of the liberation that the expected ODM govt would give them.
Then Kibaki was sworn in at dusk and all hell broke loose.(Hell was still here in Kenya but suppressed). Dozens of Kikuyus were immediately massacred and all you did was urge your unruly supporters on and say that Kenya would be ungovernable. You did not shed a tear until when revenge attacks started and you went to KNH to see some of your tribesmen who had been forcibly circumcised.
I cringe in pain when I recall your tears...they make me see that I was right all along when I warned people that ODM was a party whose main drive was hatred. For you were the same person who had told the whole World that the Kiambaa incident victims(who were women and children) were raiders!(You sure do hope that we have forgotten this)
Now 2007 is past and we are now very close to the polls. Man, opinion polls tell us you are the most popular aspirant. I believe them. In fact, if we were still under the old constitution, your chances would be the highest ever.
You may need to clean the orange and remove the ethnic hatred stain. Then come up with new platform: the old campaign issues are past.
MK has done good. But he didn't do his best. I give him a generous 6.5. You know his regime flaws: tribal appointments, continued corruption etc. You should start campaigning on these and promise Kenyans the opposite of Kibaki era flaws.
Are you the messiah Kenya is hoping for? I see a lot of similarity between you and Moi. The former Mtukufu had his strong side but ended up being Mtukutu by not using his strengths for our benefit. If had had used his hands on management, dictatorship and populist tendencies for the benefit of all, we would be better than we are now.
As you ape your former boss, please keep away from too many populist announcements and being too visible(do not be all over the media). Don't fight people like Miguna, leave them to fade away. They will pull you down and make you appear murky.
You may consider controlling your core supporters. These guys will lose you votes faster than anything else. Address them on the realities of govt, the harsh ones especially: there is nothing for free! Exhort them to be more humble and avoid making it an ethnic hatred contest of 41 against 1 again.
Some people have been saying that you should dump Musalia for Kenneth. That will be political suicide! Musalia alone will not go far. He is spineless and colourless. But he is far better than PK as a running mate. If you must dump him, please consider Kalonzo Musyoka.
Do not laugh at my proposal sir, Kalonzo your archrival could earn you more votes than anyone else. There is a high possibility of him losing in the PNU primaries or falling out with the rest. He will be wounded, annoyed and willing to go back to chungwa. A chunk of 'eastern bloc' voters will be added to your numbers!
Could you however be planning to surprise us with an early retiremnt? Maybe like endorse your FORD compatriots Orengo, Muite, Kituyi, Karua, or even Maalim? Far fetched but possible! It would be memorable.
Anyway should you make it, make your first term so successful that those of us who doubt you will have no option but to cross the floor.
Brother Raila, I remember you gave your life to Christ and was baptised. Therefore work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Believe in Christ, read the Bible and pray.
Fianlly enjoy your day. For just that day forget Ruto, Uhuru, Miguna, Hague and other worries. Relax and enjoy with Ida.