There is hard calculation in Kipkorir's move to back Raila

NASA preisidential candidate Raila Odinga. (Photo: Courtesy)

I know Senior Counsel Donald Kipkorir isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. The man from Marakwet in Cheptongei Village is quite the enigma. Born a hapless peasant, the Nairobi lawyer rose from squalour to become one of the wealthiest Kenyans alive. His rags-to-riches story is enchanting not least because of his flamboyance and seemingly decadent lifestyle.

But — and this is key — Mr Kipkorir isn’t an obscenely rich simpleton. He’s seduced by ideas and money in equal measure. Methinks he would’ve done better to stay longer in school to quench his thirst for letters. But what I like most about Kipkorir is his devil-may-care attitude, his candour, and ability to speak truth to power.

It takes courage for a Kenyan of enormous means to go against the grain. I am talking about Kipkorir’s endorsement of NASA’s Raila Odinga for President of the Republic of Kenya. My view is that Kipkorir’s unequivocal — and unapologetic — embrace of Raila is the stuff of legend.

For him to break ranks with the Jubilee duo of Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto takes plenty of cojones. It puts to shame most elites in Jubilee’s strongholds of Rift Valley and central Kenya who cling to their tribal barons like ticks. There’s more than meets the eye in Kipkorir’s action — in politics there’s always more than the obvious. In my books, Kipkorir must be celebrated.

Social suicide

I won’t rehash Kipkorir’s philosophy of life. But suffice it to note that he’s an unapologetic promoter of capitalism and free markets. By his own admission, he abhors corruption and the looting of the public treasury. He lauds those who make their money the old-fashioned way — by the sweat of their brow. He says he plays by the rules, and I hope he does. If, as he says, he has made his money cleanly, then I say kudos to him.

That’s why his endorsement of Raila over Kenyatta is a political earthquake. It’s an action that could easily turn into political, economic, and social suicide given the treachery of Kenyan politics. Everyone knows that Kipkorir is Ruto’s bosom buddy. In fact, I consider Kipkorir to be Ruto’s most ardent defender. This is our biggest difference. You will not find many people that I as strenuously object to as Ruto.

Yet Kipkorir — unlike many from his neck of the woods — sees no contradiction in being my friend. He publicly and openly supported me in my unsuccessful attempt to become Chief Justice. He said he did so not because we are friends but because he believed that I was the most qualified candidate. Merit. He was deeply disappointed when the powers that be made a different choice. He’s a patriot.

Like many Kalenjins, Kipkorir has come to believe that Jubilee has ruined Kenya. He cites runaway corruption, ethnic manipulation by the alliance of the Kikuyu and Kalenjin elites, and the failure of the national project as reasons Kenyans should boot Jubilee out of power. He believes Raila is the only true nationalist running who can redeem Kenya. Merit. I will take Kipkorir any day over those who shed crocodile tears against tribalism and yet press the lever for their ethnic kinsman. If Kenya is to become a modern democratic state, it will need more of us to evolve like Kipkorir.

I know he says he will support Ruto in 2022. But I hope he won’t. There is probably a hard calculation in Kipkorir’s endorsement of Raila and NASA. There should be. Kipkorir may have seen the writing on the wall for Jubilee. He may have spied an obituary for Jubilee. So, why go down with a sinking ship? Like a smart pragmatist, Kipkorir may have decided to throw his lot in with the winning side. Does that make him an opportunist? Probably. But is that bad? No. It makes him flexible. It gives him an opportunity to detoxify our tribal politics. In contrast, many of his Kikuyu and Kalenjin brethren may go down with Jubilee out of blind tribal loyalty. Methinks Kipkorir has signaled to the Kalenjin elite to support Raila.

Finally, Kipkorir knows the house Kenyatta and Ruto built — Jubilee — rests on quicksand. He may believe the Kikuyu will jilt Ruto in 2022. That’s why he wouldn’t mind a Jubilee loss now so that Ruto can be freed from the tyranny of that quixotic marriage.

Ruto can then recast himself as his own man between now and 2022. 2022 will be crowded with NASA’s Kalonzo Musyoka and Musalia Mudavadi as Ruto’s competition. I think Kipkorir believes Ruto’s goose will be cooked if Jubilee wins this year.

- The writer is SUNY Distinguished Professor at SUNY Buffalo Law School and Chair of KHRC. @makaumutua