As the curtains come down on Mathare’s by-election campaigns this evening,one fact remains indisputable-that whichever way the results go,it’s a win-win situation for Uhuru Kenyatta and his TNA brigade and a self-inflicted loss for the Opposition chief Raila Odinga and his ODM brigade.
It’s essentially a battle between two Uhuru boys in different vehicles allegedly on “different” routes towards a common destination.Uhuru wins either way.If I had any political capacity to influence the Mathare voters,I would simply be politically honest and ask them to vote for my namesake Billiane Okoth,or even our in-law Fwamba C. Fwamba!
It’s unfortunate that I don’t! Raila’s and ODM’s obsession with “national face” has in some instances proved politically very costly.Given the metropolitan nature of Nairobi City, it becomes even much easier to betray those who moulded you into a finer politician and get away with it-like Shebesh!
It’s therefore empirical that political lessons learnt should not be assumed! In the unlikelihood that Stephen Kariuki wins, it may not take very long before we start seeing him, alongside Mike Sonko and Rachael Shebesh, jumping from one slum to the next “empowering youths” and calling on “Wazees” to quit politics and give “youths” a chance to “work for wanainchi”!
I’m not in anyway saying that Kariuki is not strong enough to resist the temptation to protect “house-power” and “house-interests”,no!Baba already thinks K1 is strong enough to give us the much desired “national outlook” and I’m not in the moods to argue with Baba,not now,not ever!
My only concern is our blatant refusal to be honest and appreciate things that are already here with us and likely to remain with us here forever! My concern is our Hypocrisy! Of course the onus is on the Bishop’s son to either vindicate me of my concerns or prove me the tribal alarmist that I am. May the luckier candidate win. #MathareByElections.
By Michael Okoth
Editor’s note: Mathare by election is between leading contestants Stephen Kariuki of CORD (ODM) and TNA’s George Wanjohi. Others are Billian Okoth and Fwamba NC Fwamba.
-kenya-today.com