By KIPKOECH TANUI
I have been victim of Mr Miguna Miguna’s aggressive spirit, discourteous and unbridled tongue, and fast temper but I will defend his freedom to write what he wants. You ask why? We shall come to that shortly.
In a fit of anger at us for declining to carry his right of reply the way he wrote, complete with the insinuation retired President Moi, who wasn’t even the author of the piece that offended him, had threatened him with death, Miguna magnanimously doled out epithets at me I dare not repeat for the sake of my children. Suffice to say the matter is now subject of his complaint against us at the Media Council.
Though I had never met him, having just seen him in 2007 on television at the KICC vote-tallying centre, I just admired the way he bluntly wrote his newspaper pieces, and the ‘unbwoggable’ demeanour with which he blurted out his protests.
But with time, as I came to know from those who knew Miguna better — a conclusion vindicated in his new book — he holds very strong opinions which are fairer about himself but condescending to those around him. He is democratic and non-discriminating in his fury and protestations. It does not matter to him who you are; his opinion should carry the day.
If he believes he was the right choice for Nyando Constituency in 2007 and spent — in his own words — millions, including selling his house in Canada, then it must be because of vote rigging that he was not elected. But even more important, they are the losers, not him, for they bartered the political cornerstone that would have saved them for the effigy-burning Fred Outa.
I often get the feeling Miguna not only went into law with zeal and enthusiasm, but in whatever capacity life put him, he takes the adversarial contest of the courtroom. In this regard, it is always your word against mine, and it is where there must be a winner who is smart, and a loser who is idiotic.
True to this looking at life through the lens of a legal mind, you would understand why Miguna’s SMSes — for those who have received any — are longish and bear the ring of a legal brief. That is also why in his book he exhibits dexterity with figurers, be it of dates and numbers, as well as archiving of documents.
televangelist-like
This also explains why those who know will tell you Miguna is so litigious so much that I fear he may sue me if I say he bathes himself while stark naked.
But give it to him, he fights for what he believes is right or is his right with the consistency and precision of the Mara lion. To make sure his point sinks in your head and the imagery of the emphasis with which it were told dangles before your eyes always, he speaks with a booming voice, and gestures with the hands, and if onstage, moves quite a bit like the televangelists.
His towering frame, huge hands, and unnerving swagger come in handy here.
