Instead of gloom, Raila should preach hope ahead of August vote

Allow me to share a rural love story this Sunday. Once upon a time there was a fine young lady who lived in a farming village called Kapsoroget. She was known to be resourceful, hardworking and utterly charming.

A young man had been interested in her for years. And being a strategic thinker, he planned the courtship meticulously. He had even envisioned a wedding date; August the 8th. He knew that this courtship would be make or break, do or die. He also knew that if he did not snag her this time, she will surely be whisked away by some other person.

So he gave it his all; but in the end he failed miserably. Her rejection was total and final. The man could not believe that his carefully crafted strategy did not work! And so he went to recount his sorrowful mission, and seek counsel from a village elder, Mzee Ng'om.

The mzee interrogated him, to see where the man had gone wrong. The first thing he asked him was how and what he had proposed to the young lady.

The man replied, 'I put on my best clothes, and I went to lovingly explain to her how much she needs me.'

Redemption

Then I poetically detailed how I can save her from the wretched mess she has become. I then very sweetly explained to her how I am better than anyone she has ever known, because I can redeem her from her bad state and give her an upgrade. And I offered to always speak well on her behalf because she is inarticulate.

I told her how the whole village talks behind her back because she is an unbearable chatterbox. I reminded her how I saved her brother from drowning in the river one day and how much she owes me for that, as well as how brave I have been when sent to war, and how I have protected our village repeatedly, since 1982."

Suddenly, the young man's folly was crystal clear to Mzee Ng'om. And so the old man said to him: 'My son, always remember that you can catch more flies with honey, than with vinegar' He added' 'Instead of selling happiness by projecting a blissful future of the children and cattle you will raise together - you are selling arrogance and fear.'

This story is exactly like Raila Odinga's campaign. His message has been vinegar, not honey. His message is that Kenya is a wretched State, a near Banana Republic that only he can save. His goal is to plummet the country's collective self esteem, and position himself as the Messianic redemption it so desperately needs.

But Raila is dead wrong on both counts. As a matter of fact, he is merely peddling blatant lies. First of all, Kenya is nothing close to the desolate nation he is actively trying to paint it as.

After all, which Banana Republic would host an IAAF event? Or be invited to both the G-7 and G-20 Summits? How are these international votes of confidence an indication of diplomatic failure?

Raila says that the country is on an economic tailspin. Meanwhile, the SGR transports 4,000 people a day, KRA collected over Sh1 trillion, inflation has been maintained at single digits, the country's ICT is the most advanced in the region, electrification has risen to 60 per cent, tourism shot up by 36 per cent, and the likes of Jack Ma have been attracted to invest in Kenya.

Dictatorial clutches

Based on his campaign messaging alone, one would be forgiven for thinking that Raila single-handedly saved the nation from Mzee Moi's dictatorial clutches. Never mind that Raila's National Development Party willingly got into one cosy Kanu bed with the former president.

It was only until it was no longer politically convenient, and Moi no longer served his ambition, that Raila reverted to his 'freedom fighter/liberator' role once again.

Kenya may not be where it ought to be, but the last thing it needs is a 'messiah' with no proven miracles in his track record, who wants to beat the country into a submissive miserable pulp in order to accept him as its super hero.

Instead of peddling fear and lies about a country he claims to love, Raila should say what he will do, and what he will change, instead of being untruthful about how poorly the country is doing just to demonstrate how much it 'needs him'. The man is selling doom and gloom, instead of hope and inspiration. He is selling bucketloads of vinegar, when just a spoonful of honey would've been more effective.

 —The writer is a PhD candidate in Political Economy at SMC University and a Research Fellow at Fort Hall School of Government. [email protected]