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The rejection of Raila in Kikuyu land is the lead story in all newspapers today. What is all this Railaphobia in Central? I argue that it is less about Raila and more about the Kikuyu people. LONG THREAD, FREE TO DISCARD
Like in many political trends in Kikuyuland, Railaphobia defies all logic. Unites the poorest with billionaires; educated with peasantry. We even have university lecturers who openly spew rubbish against Raila and the Luo. The easiest lies to spread in Mt Kenya is against Raila.
A spectacle to behold. The Kikuyu are fanatical about a person with a case in ICC stemming from killing and displacement of hundreds of Kikuyus in one of the most shameful chapters of our history. And the biggest object of their hate is a person associated with their liberation
Kikuyus biggest antagonists have been the Kalenjins under whom they suffered great torment in 1992 and 1997. Hundreds of Kikuyu peasants were brutally murdered in Rift Valley. Bcos the community agitated for more political parties and Kikuyu leaders competed with Moi for power.
Kalenjins took it as tribal affront. Militias killed Kikuyus and destroyed their properties. It was being presented as a conflict between communities caused by multi-party politics. To this day we use the term TRIBAL CLASHES which was pure rubbish. It was actually TRIBE CRASHING
Moi had cautioned many parties would herald tribalism. He was determined to actualize his prophecy. The leader of the youth wing (YK92) to whom these mayhems were attributed, is now the subject of the hysterical following in Kikuyuland. Some CONTRADICTIONS ARE JUST MADE IN KENYA
While Raila, who fiercely confronted Moi’s tyranny (something Kikuyu leaders had tried and failed) is now the principal object of hate and divisive and maliciously false propaganda. To paraphrase PLO, “I NEED TO BE PERSUADED.” Persuade me INDEED how all this came about
Railaphobia is not natural. There is no historical antagonism between the Kikuyu and the Luo. The two tribes have been great allies and produced the earliest nationalists. Jaramogi rallied the nation against Uhuru without Jomo Kenyatta – “Kenyatta na Uhuru,” he coined the slogan
In my childhood, there was no hostility. The Luo were highly revered for their role in the independence struggle. They were also influential in government policies after independence. Jaramogi Odinga, Tom Mboya, Ochieng Oneko etc. We even had songs in their praises
There was that face-off between Kenyatta and Jaramogi in Kisumu. There was bitterness over the death of Tom Mboya. This was a big crisis that later led to the oathing to solidify Kikuyu loyalty around “their” government. Led to marginalization of Luoland by Kenyatta government
Moi’s government entrenched isolation of Luo and Kikuyu lands, which only tied them together in victimhood. They were the strongest protagonists of the second liberation. The Luo were great heroes and Raila was a super icon – for his courage that defied his persecution by Moi.
Raila is perhaps the first person to call on Moi’s resignation. This sounds trite today. It was extremely radical at the time. No newspaper would publish Raila’s statement – it was published in Nairobi Law Monthly. We were reading it in secret and marveling at Raila’s courage
Jaramogi and his son Raila were heroes in Kikuyu land. The region had suffered great marginalization and economic sabotage. There was so much poverty (which they have not recovered from). They were discriminated in government institutions and it was almost taboo to talk about it
Kikuyu leaders had long been neutered by Moi, having served under him. When it got very unbearable, Ken Matiba and Charles Rubia threw their weight behind calls for reforms. They were wealthy and influential and their voice was heavily instrumental in adding momentum for change
The picture of Martin Shikuku and James Orengo daring police brutality to enter Kamukunji grounds on saba saba was a precious possession. We had cuttings of this picture and others in our houses. We celebrated these great heroes; We adored Raila who had bn detained with Matiba.
There was a remarkable case when there was a by-election in Nyandarua’s Kipipiri constituency. Kanu was desperate to at least get an elected MP within Kikuyu land and had moved whole state machinery to get this. But people in Central had vowed NEVER to elect anybody in Kanu.
Vote counting was shrouded in secrecy and people were barred from witnessing. Until Raila Odinga arrived! He led people into forcing their way into the tallying hall where counting was taking place. The gvt was desperate for the seat and mischief was afoot. Raila changed it
Raila and observers supervised counting which Kanu lost. It was a big celebration. We talked about Raila for days on end, celebrating his heroism. I recall that famous Taifa Leo headline “KANU YAOJA PILIPILI KIPIPIRI.” This loss infuriated Moi so much.
The gvt removed electricity poles lined up in the constituency to lure voters. Most young people wouldn’t believe how backward leadership was then. @akokoken @patchyplacing @bintiswahiliya @masindeonyango @Wakabando https://www.kenyans.co.ke/news/37186-how-mois-backfired-election-gimmick-made-him-laughing-stock
Around 1997, another round of violence happened targeting the Kikuyu in Molo and Kuresoi, no opposition leader dared visit. Except for Raila. Who visited the affected families and challenged the government to come clean on the violence and stop that nonsense of tribal clashes
So far so good. No traces of Railaphobia anywhere. As I said earlier, I NEED TO BE PERSUADED. Persuade me how somebody we admired so much turned out to be a villain of politics in Kikuyu land? In the next thread, I will trace the source of this river of hatred against Raila
Note: Kikuyus have the RIGHT TO POLITICAL FREEDOM. They owe Raila nothing. Here, I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT THE NATURAL DIFFERENCES OF OPINION IN FAVOUR AND AGAINST PEOPLE AND IDEAS. Its about phobia – the paranoid and mass negative obsession with Raila
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