Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s move to surrender the expensive-looking handmade and hand painted decorative gifts from Turkey to the State was a demonstration of his will to adhere to the new Constitution.
The law in Article 76(1) of the Constitution reads; “A gift or donation to a State Officer on a public or official occasion is a gift or donation to the Republic and shall be delivered to the State unless exempted under an act of Parliament.”
Raila said he had decided to lead by example in living the new Constitution because “life for many public servants was going on as usual as if there was no new Constitution”.
Political influence
Also, the PM’s move clearly is in line with a quote in the Bible that says that one should give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar.
However, one is bound to question whether this act of patriotism might have had a political influence to it.
Being the witty politician that the PM is, he might have decided to use this as an arsenal to woo potential voters to his side given that he is the first political leader who has publicly done this.
With his political rivals working relentlessly to ensure that he does not make it to State House; it is only human the Premier will want to fight back as tactfully as he can.
He must want to do all he can to make Kenyans believe he is the missing link that will eventually complete Kenyans success puzzle.
Therefore, this may just be one of the tactics he has decided to use en route his journey to State House.
The exit of his Pentagon allies due to differences and the recent campaign rallies that have been going on countrywide are a reflection that his rivals are serious about ousting him out of power: and that they have no intentions of letting him occupy the highest seat in the land.
Dignified gesture
