RAILA A GENUINE FRIEND TO GEMA

LEADER OF OPPOSITION RAILA AMOLO ODINGA

Most of anti-Raila fears in Central Kenya are baseless works of fiction. Indeed, project fear against Odinga has taken its toll over the years but the tables are turning. Many are seeing this crap for what it really is. It is time to call time on a vicious campaign of hate bereft of morality and sanity.

Like many Kikuyus my views of the man have matured and progressed over time. From fear to anger to doubt and later on to understanding, respect and even admiration.
Could an anti-Kikuyu monster have declared Kibaki Tosha and campaigned so vigorously for him? How could he have worked with Joseph Nyaga, Bishop Margaret Wanjiru, Isaac Mwaura, Paul Mwangi, Rachel Shebesh, Ngunjiri Wambugu, Peter Kuguru, Tony Gachoka, Rosemary Kariuki, Stephen Kariuki, Charles Njonjo, S.K. Macharia, Mumbi Ngáru, Mpuru Aburi etc.
While some of these fellows eventually betrayed him, he never counted it against the community. He took the betrayal in his stride and true to form continued to work with many Kikuyu’s thereafter.
While the current major political formations are largely tribal, nobody can deny that CORD is more ethnically diversified. It most accurately approximates the face of Kenya.
Raila has always been harshly and unfairly judged. He is a man just as flawed as you and me. Yet when assessing our tribal leaders we use the scorecard of thugs but when judging Raila that of gods. It is time to balance this scorecard.
When a man who uses Thika Highway tells you that Raila has no development record you are left intellectually stranded. The same man asks you what Raila did for Kibera for 20 years he was MP yet he does not ponder to ask what Jomo Kenyatta did for Gatundu or even what Mwai Kibaki did for Othaya.
When tribal lenses are dropped Raila’s struggle for a better Kenya suddenly, reflect patriotism and the best interest for this country. When the scales fall off you realize that a man without a deep love for Kenya; our shared brotherhood and our collective destiny could not have made these sacrifices.
The backward perception that a Raila Presidency would spell doom for the Kikuyu community is a fallacy and an absurdity beyond measure. You have to be a dyed in the wool tribal extremist to entertain it.
History and its entire weight now balances in favour of a Raila presidency. The stone that the builders so vigorously rejected has become the key pillar for this building we call home.