Opinion: Did Kalonzo miss the bigger picture in NASA leadership deal?

There is a well-known saying: “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.”
Four years ago, Kenya was presented with what was billed as a super coalition of different parties uniting under a single banner, or rather Raila Odinga’s quest for power.

Kalonzo Musyoka agreed to be Odinga’s running partner after the latter had gone back on a promise the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader made in 2002 when he declared President Kibaki Tosha (fit to lead) against Kalonzo’s expectation, and in 2007 when they fought over the first Orange party until Odinga and his team left after failing to get their way.

Raila and his acolytes tried to persuade the public that Uhuru Kenyatta, another former ally whom he abandoned when it didn’t suit his purpose, was unfit to lead, would tear up the Constitution and not undertake any of the badly needed reforms. Claims were made that Kenya would face a massive downturn in its economic, social and infrastructural fortunes.
Four years later and Kenyans can be forgiven for thinking that this is déjà vu, and that they have already seen this film.

UHURUTO DUO

It makes perfect sense for Uhuru and William Ruto to emulate their candidacies from four years ago, the pair upset all the odds in 2013 and won an impressive victory and have been running the country since.

There has been some economic growth, increase in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and massive infrastructure development which has seen new hospitals, schools, electricity and internet access spring up and connect Kenya as never before.

However, Odinga and Kalonzo lost, even when many factors favoured the CORD coalition to win, and win big. However, unfortunately, the Opposition doesn’t do failure very well, it makes excuses and the people suffer, either through unremitting violence engineered by those who cannot accept democratic norms of defeat, or the stifling tyranny that removes any opposition from within its ranks.

The only difference between 2013 and the coming elections is that Odinga is now 72 and still harbours the same old ideas. One could almost feel sorry for Kalonzo, who once again demonstrates he doesn’t have the mettle or political courage for leadership.

The Wiper leader frequently looks like he has ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ and has accepted, and even embraced his fate as a captive to Odinga’s unremitting desire for the presidency.

HEAD START

While Uhuru arrives at the campaign period with what many may consider credits and positives to his leadership, even grudgingly admitted by many opponents in the media, Odinga will try and sell us the same snake oil.

Odinga does not represent visible change from the old. We must resist leaders who do not lead us forward to a brighter and better future, but prefer to return us to an unsavoury past. Odinga and Kalonzo, and the rest of the National Super Alliance (NASA) team, will attempt to do just that over the next few months.

Kenyans deserve leaders who will propel us forward, who will ensure our country becomes the ‘Silicon Savannah’ and a “symbol of achievement and opportunity” as United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said following his meeting with President Kenyatta at State House a few weeks ago.

OPEN SECRET

Now that the biggest open secret has been confirmed and Odinga has managed to find his way to the top of the NASA coalition as its presidential flag bearer, it would be safe, I believe, to say that these elections have become a very simple choice for Kenyans. They are between success and failure, progress and decline and the future or a return to the past.

In 2013, many Kenyans were easily taken in by Odinga, (myself included) and felt that it was finally his time for a stab at the presidency.

However, once again he failed to deliver and rather than gracefully exit the stage, he has ensured that there is no credible opposition in these elections. In my own personal opinion, Odinga appears to have lost credibility after losing out in previous elections.

Mr Mutua comments on political affairs