Raila the King maker

He bestrode the Kenyan political terrain enthroning leaders to seats including presidency that eluded him till he took his last breadth.

Raila Amollo Odinga aka Agwambo confounded both friend and foe in his political moves.

He took five stabs at the presidency coming closest in 2007 and 2022 General Elections where he lost narrowly to Mwai Kibaki and President William Ruto respectively.

It was in December 2002 at the height of political campaigns for the general election, that he delivered arguably the most consequential endorsement  in Kenya’s political history when he pronounced Kibaki Tosha at a packed to the brim political rally at Uhuru Park- what became the trade mark wave that propelled Emillio Mwai KIbaki to a resounding victory against Uhuru Kenyatta.

The statement was Kibaki Tosha. (Kibaki is fit to be President) a move that caught opposition leaders among them Simeon Nyachae who were lobbying for Raila’s endorsement.

As fate would have it soon after Kibaki’s endorsement, the presidential candidate was involved in a near fatal road crash during campaigns a move that would consign for treatment London as Raila built and fashioned a political campaign machinery that would deliver Kibaki solidly.

He is remembered for the famed statement during rallies that ‘the Captain is injured but as it happens in football, he will be replaced by another player and the team goes to game with the target of winning the prize.

It is the journey to 2002 polls which recollects how his art of King making was laid in style.

In the 1997 elections, Raila had taken the first stab at presidency where he emerged third after President Moi, and Mwai Kibaki.

The late Michael Wamalwa Kijana was  fourth and Charity Kaluki Ngilu was fifth in the election.

The up shot of the argument is that opposition leaders together garnered more votes than President Moi at the 1992 and 1997 elections but would hardly agree to back a single candidate.

Raila in his wisdom and strategy decided he would join forces with Kanu and in 2001, he would mobilise his party National Development Party (NDP) whose symbol was a tractor and fondly referred to as Tinga in Kiswahili. His game plan was to become bosom friends with Kanu the ruling party, President Moi, learn the ropes and tricks of the cockerel from inside.

Raila was rewarded with position of Minister for Energy and made Kanu Secretary General to the chagrin of many Kanu stalwarts among the late JJ Kamotho who would relinquish the post of Kanu Secretary General to accommodate Raila.

By the stroke of this move he rendered many politicians irrelevant and consigned them to lesser political beings.

But even as Raila built clout within Kanu ranks, he was not trusted nor loved much and when President Moi hand-picked Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta as his preferred successor and Kanu’s presidential candidate, Raila and like-minded politicos led a mass revolt against Uhuru and Moi.

The lessons matured as he pulled the plug on Kanu and led a mass walk out from the party to opposition ranks leaving the cockerel wounded and weakened.

Raila joined forces with opposition leaders Kibaki, Kijana Wamalwa and Charity in what was now billed the Rainbow Coalition.

Nyachae decide to go it alone. He would later on in subsequent campaign rallies chide Kanu that the cockerel swallowed the tractor but forgot to switch off the diesel engine.

The result was laid bare in the 2002 polls when Kanu would no longer crow on the House on the Hill-State House.

The 2002 elections symbolises how best Baba was King maker across many fronts.

To the Kibaki backyard, the toils and sweat of Raila delivered a seat that earned him the nick name Njambaa (a true friend).

Even on his death, political pundits had billed he would be the King maker in 2027 polls if he would not offer himself for election.

Across Kenya Raila endorsed several candidates who would then go ahead and win elections easily riding on his support with the Orange Democratic Party or alliances built with him.

He helped enthrone several governors, senators, MPs, MCAs across board. In most of the ODM strongholds it became fashionable to invite Raila to lift your hand and you would easily sail to victory.