Is Raila Odinga victim of Kenya’s political culture and voting patterns?

Raila Odinga got 44.74 per cent of the presidential votes cast during 2017 General Election. Photo: Willis Awandu, Standard

Let us take a moment and spare a thought for Raila Amolo Odinga. In his own eyes, Baba is a permanent victim of circumstances. He is a 'hapless victim' of the system, the Government, the Constitution, and lately, technology. It is said that a victim of circumstances is a casualty, but a victim of convenience is a narcissist. So which one is he? I want to suggest that he is both. I will explain.

In this election, Raila was convinced that he had 10 million votes in the bag. But when the day of reckoning finally arrived, Raila found himself with a triple tragedy. Tragedy number one - he did not get within smelling distance of his 10 million goal. Tragedy number two, he only got within long driving distance of the constitutionally required 50 per cent + 1 threshold. And tragedy number three, his nemesis in the electoral battle, Uhuru Kenyatta, got both these things. And this is where I think he is a victim of circumstances.