Uhuru, Raila ‘handshake’ party risks being spoiled

The March 9, 2018 ‘handshake’ with President Uhuru Kenyatta threw around Mr Raila Odinga a blanket of mysticism and enhanced his image as a never-say-die politician. For the second time after an electoral defeat to Uhuru that he challenged, Raila again rose to be lynchpin of Kenya’s politics. He had enjoyed this status from late 1990s when he helped whitewash Kanu with his surprise ‘Kibaki Tosha’ declaration that gave an Opposition candidate the keys to State House.

After the 2013 successful challenge of Uhuru-Ruto victory in court, Raila showed you only ignore him at your own peril. Then he stayed away from the repeat election, which seemed to consign him to political dustbin, albeit behind the veil of noise and teargas. Attempts to have himself sworn in as president divided the nation eager to move on after the divisive electioneering. Calls for peace reigned as the aftermath of the sad memories that followed 2007’s controversial declaration of Mr Mwai Kibaki as reelected, lurked in the darkness.