Robert Alai has moved to silence his followers who have accused the blogger of warming up to the Jubilee Government.
Alai’s recent social media posts have people believing that he has switched allegiances from being a staunch Raila Odinga admirer to a Jubilee sycophant.
On Sunday, he posted a message that suggested President Uhuru Kenyatta will easily defeat his political opponent Raila Odinga during the 2017 general elections.
The post forced most of his followers to lash out as they accused Alai of being ‘bought.’
One post by Facebook user, Daniel Jubilant, alluded that Alai has been working tirelessly for Raila without pay, something that may have changed his stance.
In response Alai reiterated that he is backing Raila for the presidency and denied being ‘bought.’
Alai further penned a long post explaining why it is a waste of time to support Raila unless he changes strategy.
“My job as a blogger and social justice activist is to give voice to the voiceless and critique the public leaders. I have been a pro-Raila supporter for long and hope that one day he will take the race seriously and dismantle the cartels in his office who are focused on making money but not delivering a Raila Presidency.
Raila is the most decorated pro-democracy figure in kenya today. He has been consistent in his calls for reforms and his short stints as Roads & Housing, Roads and later Prime Minister is testimony to his abilities. Raila is a master performer with his short stint in the grand coalition government made the nusu mkate govt one of the best performing.
We celebrate Kibaki for roads without realising that the roads and housing boom were result of Raila’s blueprint and initiatives. Look at the section of Mbagathi Way where he tested concrete as a material of road construction. Not even a scratch over one decade later.
But Raila’s quest to change the face of Kenya and Kibera was sabotaged by a cabal of ethnic chauvinists and corrupt elite like Murungaru, Kimunya, Muthaura, Kiraitu Murungi etc. Others are the likes of Ferdinand Waititu who owns a great number of mabati units in the Kibera slum.
But I think that the Raila lost focus at some point. Maybe the last two General Elections demoralised him to the extent that he now believes that he might never win the Presidency. I don’t see the seriousness in the quest. Raila is NOT interested in the presidency. He seems to be more focused on maximizing returns from party activities but not on the big office.
Take the IIEC then the IEBC. Raila pushed to have Isack Hassan as chair after being convinced by Faraah Maalim and Mohamed Isahakhia. Raila initially proposed Cecil Miller. Having realized that Miller is half-Kikuyu, he looked for ways through MPs like Millie Odhiambo to avoid the anti-Kikuyu charade on Miller but introduce an angle of wife battering. That scheme worked well for ODM to remove Miller’s name but he never tasted the Presidency. Still, Raila made a lot of money through ODM nominations and contributions from supporters.
Remember that the ODM kitty is ALWAYS handled exclusively by Raila’s family. He and his family can sign for release of money from those accounts.
In 2012 and now 2016, we are witnessing a group which is dominated by Odinga family and extended relations coming to take charge of all key aspects of campaigns towards the general elections. They handle all key coffers and resources meant for the campaigns. Professional entities are sidelined and any attempt to instill a sense of professionalism in the quest will make you an enemy of Raila and his close confidantes. I strongly believe that Raila is now out to make the most amount from the nominations and campaign donations but he is not serious about a race for the Presidency.
Lastly, I believe that Raila will run for the Presidency in 2017, 2022, 2027 etc….. It’s business. I see no difference between Raila and the father.
What I know is that the system fears Raila. The businesses under the KEPSA umbrella fear that Raila might come down strongly on corruption. The land grabbers have not forgotten the Raila bulldozers in Mountain View. The corrupt power brokers fear being held to account.
That’s why 2013 was a military coup. Gen Karangi literally camped at Bomas and made sure that Raila came nowhere near State House. Gichangi of NSIS manipulated emotions and feelings through the media with the information he collected.
We must change strategy. Raila is a revolutionary whom the system can’t fathom. So it’s easy to gang up against him and lock him out of leadership. We must change strategy. Raila must remember what he was told some time in 2002 by a friend. He must snatch this thing through a stooge. This gang won’t allow him to govern.
And Raila knows all of the above. So I ntil Raila gets serious about the Presidency, we are wasting time supporting him.”
