The Centre Cannot Hold

By Mwalimu B.K. Maina

The book presents a screwy solution to the chaotic situation in Kenya, in the run up to the general election slated for late 2017. It is strikingly relevant beyond borders; on offer is a brilliant example of social disorganization, a phenomenon at its peak across the world. Due to the failure of Kenyans to organize and tackle poverty, ignorance and disease, successive governments have entrenched corruption and tribalism. Kenyans cannot comprehend the baseness of the current regime, yet none heeds the call to action. Nevertheless, one or two good men are expected to tower above the commonplace mediocrity and save the country from destruction.
An array of entertaining features about the history of Kenya and Africa, and prevailing contemporary culture supplements the focus of attention.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mwalimu B.K. Maina
• Release date: Jun 25, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370697922

Mwalimu B.K. Maina

The author was born in the early 1980s, and grew up in rural Kenya. He is currently a teacher of Physics to young persons in High School, and aspires to be a political and spiritual leader in the country.

Book preview

Preface

While he waits for his chance to lord over the household, a stealthy cat cannot help breaking into the cupboard for the milk, right before the eyes of the negligent man of the house and his other half. The guilty eyes of the cat tear up when caught right in the act, whiskers soaked in milk. The plumpish cat is ultimately forgiven because the missus thinks he is so cute and adorable. Papa is wary of the defensive capabilities of a cornered cat. Thus, they pet him some more, tickling his belly as he purrs in fulfillment. The lazy dog in charge spends the hours of daylight barking meaninglessly or loitering around the neighbourhood. He escapes to slumberland, at night, after eating the child’s homework. The starving rats dare not venture out of the hole in the wall.

Turning and turning in the widening gyre

The falcon cannot hear the falconer;

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world . . .

W. B. Yeats, The Second Coming:

Part 1

The Rt Hon. Dr. Raila Amollo Odinga

Raila Odinga the second prime minister of Kenya never loses- well, except the presidency. He does not believe the part about never winning the presidency; he will run for the top seat again in the 2017 general election - after losing thrice in previous attempts. This time his prospects are not at all promising; seemingly his heaviest electoral defeat yet. Similarly, his opponents are yet to believe that he never loses political duels, despite all the evidence staring at them. Raila Odinga is a grand master on the political chessboard – his peers are the current and former presidents in the East Africa Region – instinctively perceiving the end game while the match has just begun.

August 1, 1982, an attempted coup by a section of Kenya Air Force officers aborted, but not before an episode of death, destruction, and bloodletting played out. The Daniel Toroitich arap Moi government was in a vulnerable position, saved only by the loyalty of the senior command of the armed forces. A dark chapter in the history of the nation rolled by that day, thirty years after Kenya had gained her independence from the British. It was the first bright spark in the political career of one Raila Odinga. At that time, he was only known to a few as the son of a prominent opposition figure. Later the ill-famed event would refine his credentials as a patriot, warrior, and defender of the people when soon the Moi regime turned increasingly dictatorial; repression, corruption, nepotism and tribalism soon became the defining characteristics of public service.

After crime comes punishment. To connect Raila to the vain coup attempt was not hard to do, neither was it a burden to understand the conspicuous position he assumed in the planning and execution. His merits earned him seven years - detention without trial- at Kamiti Maximum Prison. His co-conspirators were not so cheerful; a few met with the hangman! The more fortunate ones took a bullet to the head. One can daresay the blood-soaked details of what transpired in the term between their capture and cessation. The sweat and tears of comrades like Kenneth Matiba, Jaramogi Odinga,Charles Rubia, George Anyona, Masinde Muliro, Koigi Wamwere among others complemented Raila Odinga’s labour to remodel the future of the nation. He achieved a pre-eminent milestone when Kenya entered upon a new era of multiparty democracy in during the general election in 1992.

He placed third in the outcome of the 1997 general election, a respectable finish, at the heels of future president Mwai Kibaki and eventual winner Daniel Moi. Delighted to have captured sizeable grassroots support and political clout he was yet emboldened and persisted in his agitation against the ruling regime. Stagger then, the cockerel swallowed the tractor in a political wedding a couple of years later. (The tractor was the symbol of his party NDP and similarly the cockerel was the emblem of ruling party KANU) The new millennium was modernistic, shortlive marriages were the norm and this was easily one of them. President Moi was a master player in the game of politics and with clarity, determined that Raila Odinga’s rationale for the political cooperation was to capture power with a sly deportment.

The marriage terminated as the nation was embarking on the general election of the year 2002 which the morose Mwai Kibaki carried the day. Raila Odinga and his associates took with them a large voting block and united forces with the then opposition led by Mwai Kibaki, Wamalwa Kijana and Charity Ngilu. Moi was retiring as president- forced to, going home, ousted from power - plainly he was not going to win re-election. The labour of close to two decades of political push and pull and back and forth led to shoving out an African strongman from power. This was among others a distinguished milestone.

Now back to the matter of marriage. This one excelled no better; they endured two years together although the cracks in the union came to view much earlier. A formidable coalition threw together the rebels and the opposition along the way to winning the elections. ‘Kibaki Tosha!’ That was the faithful vow Raila Odinga read to his partner Mwai Kibaki during the nuptials; an endorsement that enabled the latter to win the election with a landslide. Uhuru Kenyatta, the candidate of the ruling party conceded defeat early. Mwai Kibaki proved his adeptness when he speedily trashed a forcible pre-election pact getting rid of the ‘kingmaker’; perhaps he had by then read ‘The 48 Laws of Power’ by Robert Green.

In the year 2005, a referendum for the adoption of a defective draft of a new constitution - backed by the government - came to nothing. It was hell to pay for Mwai Kibaki, compliments of Raila Odinga the avenging angel. The majority rejected the draft constitution; still it was his dream to deliver to them an authentic version later.

The result of the general election of 2007 was bloody contentious. It was too close to call. Only a few or none know who won. Abjectly Raila Odinga was running against the incumbent and that was the closest he ever came to winning the presidency. A tribal war erupted: three thousand Kenyans lost their lives, tens of thousands were seriously wounded, and hundreds of thousands were violently displaced from their homes. Add in the damage to property and this was Kenya’s darkest moment. An excellent document produced afterwards by the Kenya National Human rights Commission: ‘On the Brink of the Precipice: A Human Right’s Account of Kenya’s Post-2007 Election Violence’ was among other high-level interventions forced Raila Odinga and Mwai Kibaki to the negotiating table.

Forced marriages last. The peace accord was wisely co-opted into the constitution; it did not warrant harmony but the cessation of hostilities. The fatal electoral commission departed from office acrimoniously and a basketful of newly-fangled independent commissions began to prepare the way for the unveiling of a jewel; the enactment of a new constitution –Raila Odinga’s baby. On August 10, 2010, President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila launched forth the novel constitution before a mammoth crowd at Nairobi’s Uhuru Park. The devolution of the functions of the national government to the counties was a defining feature of the new charter. The marriage was not a happy one but it was a fairly good lasting to its natural term of five years.

President Kibaki was to be pensioned off- he was no strongman like Yoweri Museveni or Paul Kagame- and Raila having partaken from the cup of power for five years as Prime Minister, did not fail to comprehend that the general election of 2012 was his to lose.

On the presidential scale, it was a grand mistake of omission; tribalism is the most unrestrained frailty afflicting the nation. Even a lazy dog with the right party ticket can win a civic or parliamentary seat; presently we have pigs in parliament- small wonder how they got there. The election propelled two ‘unelectable’ men, Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto to power. At the time, both were suspects in the highest criminal court in the world.They faced charges of rape, murder, forceful eviction etc.

In actuality, the dishonourable duo had already secured the presidency way back by cleverly registering millions of new voters in their tribal backyards. Elections are simple tribal arithmetic: one plus one equals two; or three if the incumbent is in the race too. It was yet another painful loss for the indefatigable opposition leader. The Supreme Court dismissed his election petition in a brief statement delivered apathetically by the Chief Justice. It was a five minute discourse though the legal team of Raila Odinga had submitted tons of documentary evidence; all concerned parties received the rest of the judgement via e-mail.

From the trenches, Raila Odinga has exposed numerous corruption scandals in the government of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto. Yet another electoral commission has bitten the dust; dismissed because Raila Odinga did not win? He is still a major player on the football pitch; he dictates the pace of the match and can dismiss the referee at will.

Presently though, the mercurial politician is under siege from within and without. He is no longer young and losing the election next year means a dog’s age in political wilderness for him, his co-principals Moses Wetangula and Kalonzo Musyoka, and disenchantment in all their truehearted supporters. On paper, the three principals are equal partners in the Coalition for Reform and Democracy (CORD) but Raila Odinga has more equity. They have all been in politics for decades. Each is capable and very willing to be the coalition flag