KENYA

The Man Who Would Be President

Raila Odinga has a kaleidoscopic past and an unshakeable faith in the future. The forces that shaped the politician who says he won Kenya's disputed election.

By Scott Johnson | Newsweek Web Exclusive
Jan 22, 2008 | Updated: 2:28  p.m. ET Jan 22, 2008

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  • Posted By: Mteule @ 01/27/2008 4:20:04 PM

    Ni_yetu, your name or nick-name speaks volumes about you. It speaks greed to me if I am transilating it right into English - meaning it's_ours. Kenya doesn't belong people whose ancestry goes back to the greedy/bloody Hutus_Tutsis. Let us think nationaly, not tribalistically. You remind me of a friend of mine who supported the killings of the Luos and the rest, only for her to call to tell me that her brother (a Kikuyu) had been killed by police a week ago. So long as some people continue denying the root of these chaos (election rigging), the consequencies of it are going to tragically knock at their doors like it knocked at my friend's door. She must be thinking twice. Anyway, in the Bible days, the despisors of of Nazareth asked: Can anything caome from Nazareth? Then then the Lord Jesus came from there. Can anything come from Nyanza? Yes! Tom Mboya and Robert Ouko came from there, Raila Odinga and Barrack Obama are from there. Forget about the propagandistic communist conspiracy. It does't make sense, and if it does: It does only make sense to the Kenya political maffias and those paranoid and afraid of Raila Odinga.

    • Posted By: wakenya tuungane63 @ 05/01/2008 2:55:35 PM

      Age is just a number and Raila is 62 so he is also a grandfather is thats what you are using as a requirment.The most that w e need now is leaders to reconcile and move on without being abusive.We need to restore the love we had before for ecah other because there is no leader that will bring Ugali on your table but you will have to do it yourself under the prevailing laws.

  • Posted By: StandsInTheLight @ 02/11/2008 3:16:51 PM

    this guy sounds like a power hungry greedy egomaniac willing to manipulate the poorest of the poor and let them do his dirty work for him, shed their blood, kill their own countrymen in a shameful attempt to propel himself into the presidency. all the while, he sits in his big home driving his expensive "western world" cars. I'm sorry but the "African Americans" in this country like Obama's pastor Jeremiah Wright have little ground to stand on when they attempt to blame White America for all the greed and murderous corruption in the world. Look to your beloved Motherland. Look into the mirror.

  • Posted By: kadz @ 02/04/2008 4:38:48 AM

    the first kenyan preident used constitutional amendments to consolldate his power and this led to thefallout with the father of Raila. it will now take a new constitution to bring back an all inclusive government nad on that will be seen to deliver jusitce to the people. it will take more than high economic growth rates to rectify the imbalance caused by colonialism, dictatorships and grand corruption that has brought this country to its knees. A Raila preisdency would not have been a panacea to Kenyan problems as long as there isn't going to be a new constitutional dispensation with stronger government institutions and the emphasis on the rule of law. the current mediation should include a new constitution as a primary objective. WE should place emphasis on therule of law rather than individuals. this is best seen with the current regime, which was touted as a "change regime".

  • Posted By: umoja @ 02/02/2008 12:50:27 PM

    Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Kenyan governance institutions has failed all of us. The colonial constitution that has been used to govern Kenya since independence from Britain is the root cause for democratic deficit and unsustainability. Every past President has used the constitutional deficit to butress their power despite the claim of democratic advancement. For Kenya to really move away from this political and institutional turmoil, it must take a serious look at the current outdated and undemocratic constitution being used to govern a very ethnically diverse population. For Kenya to achieve ethnic harmony and co-existence, the constitution has to be designed in a way that it guarantees universal democratic values and fairness for all 43 ethnic groups. The winner-take-all type of electoral system in place is a mockery for national unity in this situation. This, in fact, is what ODM and Mr. Odinga fought for during the 2005 Constitutional referrendum and during the 2007 elections. Governance institutions have failed the Kenyan people and the leaders need to realize that the more they try to defend the status quo, they risk becoming one and the same with the failed and unresponsive institutions.

  • Posted By: HEZBON @ 02/02/2008 3:46:41 AM

    Raila is kenya's peoples president. God gave us him. He's even shaped the kikuyus and he loves them. He's never preached any Hatred.Kikuyus believe that God loves them and hate other tribes no, God loves everybody. What will happen when Kibaki leaves another tribe is aleader? They should learn and repent and live well with the people.Raila is president that no one can dispute.

  • Posted By: kibokokali @ 01/30/2008 1:15:08 PM

    Kenya,s problem would best be compared to a person infected with Tuberculosis.The infection is usually insidous,silent and then gains momemtum eentually resulting in the coughing up of blood amongst other signs.The only chance for the victim is a proper diagnosis of the disease and the appropiate antibiotic treatment usually for about 12 months! A cough mixture that would suppress the bloody cough woudl not do,albeit the fact that it may stop the cough, but the internal hemorrhage continues (in the lungs). A power sharing agreement will do just that (stop the cough) while the internal hemorhage continues! Kibaki must step down, a neutral interim government put in place until the constitution and other dysfunctional organs of government like the discredited electoral commision arereplaced with more viable organs! then have a presidential re-run.

    • Posted By: Puro @ 02/02/2008 1:53:20 AM

      Raila has done alot for the country and individual including Kibaki,its so surprising that from the Kikuyu pple democracy is only when you vote one of there own.In Kenyan history they have never voted for any tribe,pls fellow Kenyans be above tribe and lets kick tribalism with its guards out.Kenya needs some one like Raila and the ODM which as you have said is kaleidospic pls the international community save Kenya from the greed hungry for power Kibaki.Kibaki will be in the same books with Bokassa,Amin,Mobutu,Hitlar .

      Long live Kenya,Long live Raila Odinga.

  • Posted By: acolyte @ 01/23/2008 3:52:29 PM

    As usual as I can see by many commentors here things are black and white. Raila is bad and Kibaki is good or vice versa depending on your brand of politics and tribe. Let's be honest both of these men are not blemish free as leaders and paradise isnt promised under any of them.
    But one thing both sides should be able to agree on is that we as Kenyans need change. Other than free education, Kibaki has failed to deliver on all other fronts. But despite this his tribesmen wiill still clamour behind him, it's time people learnt to look past tribe and to look at policies and track records!

    • Posted By: hk7oscar @ 02/01/2008 6:37:07 PM

      And who would have that in your opinion? Raila because I don't think so.

  • Posted By: Mteule @ 01/27/2008 11:06:52 AM

    The majority are praising truth and not deceiption. They are praising the one that truly won the presidential election and not the one that lost. They are praising the rightful owner of the decisive vote and not the thief. They are praising the nationalist and not the tribalist. They are praising the one that is on God's side and not the one that is on satan's side. As such come heaven and hell, Odinga will go to heaven and Kibaki to hell - stay assured.

    • Posted By: hk7oscar @ 02/01/2008 6:30:43 PM

      You obviously don't understand politics.

  • Posted By: franc2008 @ 02/01/2008 1:44:10 PM

    Its saddening to read this kind of articles from a well respected news media outlet.The only way media outlets earn that respect is by staying neutral and not by being baised. The writers of this story did not go the extra mile of getting the story from the other side. Its just one sided and hence baised. As a proud Kenyan who was born and raised there, I can tell you there is more than what the writers want you to know.If you look at what is going on right now,the main fighting is not between the Kikuyus and the Luos as reported by the writers here. Its between the Kalenjins and the Kikuyus.I happen to come from the Rift Valey where many of these killings are going on.Raila comes from Nyanza and not Rift Valley.If it was btw Luos and the Kikuyus,then the fighting would be concentrated in that area.
    But still it is unbelievable for the writers to claim that Raila goes beyond tribal lines.I don't know whether the writers ever followed Raila when he was campaining like they are doing now.If they ever did,then they should have reported that alot of what is going on was caused by what his campain was preaching.Raila made it clear that he wanted other tribes to vote the Kikuyus out because they had monopolised the Kenyan resources.He said kibaki had fired other tribes and only employed people from his tribe. He also claimed that kenyan people were paying taxes but the money was being directed to Central Province where Pres. Kibaki comes from.What he did not do is provide any evidence to support his claims. This made other tribes react very negatively towards the kikuyus.The Kalenjins have always wanted to kick kikuyus out of rift Valley and now they have an excuse. That is why the fighiting is in Rift Valley and not other parts of the country. They are killing innocent women and children as witnessed by the burning of more than 50 people inside a church in Eldoret. Neither Raila nor his "Pentagon Members" came out to condem those killings. All they did was accuse the gov't of shooting "innocent peacefull protesters".What did they expect the govt to do? watch as innocent peole get killed and not do a thing? When the same happened in Naivasha, the opposition was quick to blame the gov't for not doing enough to protect the people.
    To cut the story short, Raila is not the kind of person the writers here want to potray. He just want to be the President and does not care whether people die or not.Raila should know that what he is doing is just causing more divisions among tribes. By the way, the writers here stated that the kikuyus are being attacked by 40 tribes. I don't know how they came up with those figures because the fighting is between two tribes, the Kikuyus and the Kalenjins. Its alwas good to hear the story from both sides.

  • Posted By: franc2008 @ 02/01/2008 1:40:25 PM

    Its saddening to read this kind of articles from a well respected news media outlet.The only way media outlets earn that respect is by staying neutral and not by being baised. The writers of this story did not go the extra mile of getting the story from the other side. Its just one sided and hence baised. As a proud Kenyan who was born and raised there, I can tell you there is more than what the writers want you to know.If you look at what is going on right now,the main fighting is not between the Kikuyus and the Luos as reported by the writers here. Its between the Kalenjins and the Kikuyus.I happen to come from the Rift Valey where many of these killings are going on.Raila comes from Nyanza and not Rift Valley.If it was btw Luos and the Kikuyus,then the fighting would be concentrated in that area.
    But still it is unbelievable for the writers to claim that Raila goes beyond tribal lines.I don't know whether the writers ever followed Raila when he was campaining like they are doing now.If they ever did,then they should have reported that alot of what is going on was caused by what his campain was preaching.Raila made it clear that he wanted other tribes to vote the Kikuyus out because they had monopolised the Kenyan resources.He said kibaki had fired other tribes and only employed people from his tribe. He also claimed that kenyan people were paying taxes but the money was being directed to Central Province where Pres. Kibaki comes from.What he did not do is provide any evidence to support his claims. This made other tribes react very negatively towards the kikuyus.The Kalenjins have always wanted to kick kikuyus out of rift Valley and now they have an excuse. That is why the fighiting is in Rift Valley and not other parts of the country. They are killing innocent women and children as witnessed by the burning of more than 50 people inside a church in Eldoret. Neither Raila nor his "Pentagon Members" came out to condem those killings. All they did was accuse the gov't of shooting "innocent peacefull protesters".What did they expect the govt to do? watch as innocent peole get killed and not do a thing? When the same happened in Naivasha, the opposition was quick to blame the gov't for not doing enough to protect the people.
    To cut the story short, Raila is not the kind of person the writers here want to potray. He just want to be the President and does not care whether people die or not.Raila should know that what he is doing is just causing more divisions among tribes. By the way, the writers here stated that the kikuyus are being attacked by 40 tribes. I don't know how they came up with those figures because the fighting is between two tribes, the Kikuyus and the Kalenjins. Its alwas good to hear the story from both sides.

  • Posted By: tonii @ 02/01/2008 12:06:37 PM

    Raila odinga is a murderous and selfish individual who cold heartedly ordered the massacre of defenseless and vulnerable kikuyu women and children in the rift valley. If he could do this as just an opposition leader, i shudder to think what he would do as commander in chief . He also openly has links to alqaeda and would probably increase their influence in the horn of Africa which,is already a big problem in somali and the rest of the region. He should be charged with crimes against humanity and shipped over to Gitmo.

  • Posted By: tesfatadelle @ 02/01/2008 10:25:47 AM

    Raila is selfish ,canniving and the ultimate evil poltician who knows no bounds to be a Kenyan president. He has exploited (and he will continue to do so) the tribal conflicts that always existed for his defiled ambitions. And Kibaki and his government are not willing to seced from power and let themselves be exposed to corruption charges for which they are famous. In the mean time the ordinary Kenyan will suffer mercilessly. The people of Kenya are the grass that gets hurt when two elephants fight.

  • Posted By: Isaka @ 02/01/2008 8:26:24 AM

    Do you know why africa remains poor? Is because of this kind of leaders. The looting and the killing that has taken place is going to billions of shillings. Why? Because of stolen vote? What kind of fight is this? Shame. Whats more, who will build this back? The same people who are suffering now will start their lives after losing life-time savings. I think we have seen Raila's true colours now. People who were chanting "no Raila. no peace" were not disputing elections. Unfortunately ended looting their own sources of bread. Is this leadership? Letting your own people loot themselves? Poverty and more poverty will continue to grip. How can you be destroyinh your own stronghold? If elections were to be called today, Raila would loose massively, why? His strongholds are destroyed. Think Mr.Raila before you open your mouth next time. I dont think you have the capacity and the vision to lead Kenya to my expected height of peace and prosperity.

  • Posted By: ENKODA @ 02/01/2008 3:38:22 AM

    I want to tell the people of Kenya, that it is of no use to follow politicians and kill your fellow countrymen. Know this, that they will never tell you the whole true. After the fighting and beating, ask yourself, how has mine condition improved, both physically and economically? and then ask the same question, but this concerning the politicians and their families. Lets open our eyes and be a little selfish towards our politicians. At least for our betterment.

  • Posted By: ENKODA @ 02/01/2008 3:28:38 AM

    It is quite sad that African leaders still do not see the need to be selfless. But it is very sad that the people of Africa appears not to be in-tuned with the current trend, that our future and well being does not depend on these self-seeking and power drunk leaders. I hope to see the day when our politicians will migrate to the west countries to seek greener pastures like our doctors, nurses, engineers, teacher etc.

  • Posted By: Musuungu @ 01/24/2008 2:19:15 AM

    Raila is the legally elected president of Kenya.Since the stealing of his election, his popularity has gone up.I have not been very active in the politictsand I did not care about who leads Kenya.But since the time of the declaration of Kibaki president, I have decided to support Raila, because I believe he has what it takes to make Kenya develop, unlike Kibaki who is ethncetric and has been in power since 1961, and held critical positions in government only to preside over mediocre perfomance.of Kenyan economy.Kenya should be where Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia and other Asian tiggers are if we had aleader like Raila.KIbaki is supported by ethncetrics who believe in mediocrity.Now he has lost any credebility he had outside his community.Look at his so called cabinet:OP Kikuyu,Finance Kikuyu,JUstice Kikuyu, Roads Kikuyu,Energy Kikuyu.These are the core portfolios.Where is Kenya here? That is why other Kenyans will not let them off the hook this time.Trust me Raila will be president in three months'time.

    • Posted By: Mzalendo @ 01/31/2008 8:09:29 PM

      I believe he had a bunch of non-Kikuyu's including your beloved Raila, who decided to jump ship at some point...
      Kibaki has been in government since 1961, in power since 2002. As ODmers have so lovingly pointed out, Kenya has a Presidential system of govt there he can only have been in power when he was actually president. Right?
      If you were to go with your 1961, the Raila has been in power for a while as well- if we add Jaramogi's tenure before him, they've collectively been in power longer than Kibaki.
      Finally, that mediocre economy has been performing extremely well since 2002, a fact only challenged by people who know nothing about Kenya in the last 5 yrs or who are suffering from selective amnesia.

  • Posted By: Mteule @ 01/24/2008 5:34:04 PM

    Only "ignorants, morons, and paranoids" selfishly believe that Kibaki won. It is obvious to me that Kiplagat is a tribalist. While the wise of Kenya are talking statesmanly concerning the rigged elections, some fool is talkin about a tribe. It is the government that is supposed to develop every part of a country, not an individual. It is about sharing the national cake and not marginalizing some tribal areas like Kenyatta and Moi did, and now kibaki is doing. Some fool asks what Odinga has ever done for his tribe. Gentlemen and above all statesmen don't do for thier tribes, they do for the nation. They don't 'goldenberg nor anglo-lease' the tax-payers money, they invest in the welfare of all citizens and not tribes. Based on what Kiplagat said, I conclude he is a miserable tribalist of the Moi and post-Moi era. Tribalists remember this: the Biblical and marginalized Lazarus was poor and his tormentor was rich. When they both died, Lazarus (ODM) went to heaven and the rich (PNU) went to hell. Kiplagat is a tribalist and he will for sure bound for hell. There will be no place nor water in heaven to drink for those who support the ills of PNU against truth and therefore freedom, love, peace, and unity. May God punitively judge them all that thrive on greed, foolishness and deception!

    • Posted By: Mzalendo @ 01/31/2008 8:03:43 PM

      It's funny to hear you accuse anyone of tribalism. I guess you have not been reading your own posts.

    • Posted By: mrembo @ 01/26/2008 12:24:14 PM

      Mteule, remember "Charity begins at home" so it only makes sense that people would ask what Odinga has done for his tribe.

  • Posted By: Senderock @ 01/24/2008 3:42:52 AM

    That the election was stolen is not in doubt. The issue is why are the thieves still holed up in the house on the hill? he issue about sharing power is hog wash since Kibaki has no mandate to be sharing any power as he lost in the election. And now he is abusing state resources by unleashing armed police on UNARMED protesters. Kibaki is merely president of central province. Raila is the people's president. We salute him

    • Posted By: Mzalendo @ 01/31/2008 7:59:26 PM

      By calling the protesters UNARMED, does that mean that PANGAS (machetes), BOWS & ARROWS ETC are not weapons or do only guns qualify. They are also stoning people to death and burning them alive. You're right, I guess the police should stand by instead of shooting these 'poor defenseless' people.

    • Posted By: hk7oscar @ 01/27/2008 5:10:32 PM

      What you don't seem to understand here is that we're past elections we're dealing with a different issue all together that of tribal violence. And for this to be addressed it's not for Dictator A to step down for Dictator B. It's for politicians to collectively address these issues.

  • Posted By: deb21 @ 01/31/2008 3:25:40 PM

    What is the truth behind Barack Obama's connection to this man?

    • Posted By: Mzalendo @ 01/31/2008 7:51:35 PM

      According to Raila, they are practically brothers, but again, Raila also compared himself to Jesus so...
      See below:

      "When you see Raila, you see a leader who stands for the truth. I can be compared to (former South African President Mr Nelson) Mandela, Galileo Galilei and Jesus," he said.


      http://www.eastandard.net/archives/cl/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143970716

  • Posted By: sadia3585 @ 01/31/2008 9:43:33 AM

    Why was it important to note that Naji Balalla, one of Odinga's senior advisers , was a Muslim?

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