Allow me, good people, to dissect Former President Kibaki’s reign, with special emphasis on the negative aspects of his 10 year period at the helm. He rode on the wave of a strong anti-Moi tide wave that was sweeping across the country. Raila was widely expected to lead the opposition as their candidate but in a rare show of selflessness, magnanimity and statesmanship he shelved his own political ambitions and made the famous declaration, ‘Kibaki tosha’. That was the game changer. No doubt Kibaki would have struggled to make an impact in the 2002 elections had Raila not rallied his troops behind him.
That is why I have issues with those who keep inundating us with the chorus that Raila is a power hungry politician. The sacrifices the Odinga family has made for politicians from Mt. Kenya are well known and documented. I am waiting to see if any of them can reciprocate, not necessarily on a Luo, even for Ruto it will be a tall order.
The first thing Kibaki did when he assumed the reigns of power was to surround himself with close Kikuyu elite, forming an impregnable wall around himself. He appointed the late, Michael Wamalwa Kijana Vice President without portfolio. Remember this was the man who had stood by him through thick and thin. Later on he bowed to pressure but appointed him to the nondescript ministry of National Reconstruction, reserving the plum and powerful dockets to his Gema tribesmen.
The people who worked tirelessly to ensure he got into state house were relegated to the periphery, the MOU, unapologetically trashed and a deep wedge created between him and Raila. Soon Raila led a major walk out of his lieutenants from the cabinet.
Kibaki contributed immensely to the 41 against 1 mantra because of his tribal appointments, alienating the Kikuyu from the rest of Kenya.
He presided over the Anglo Leasing scam, the effects of which are being felt to date. Triton and the Cemetery land misallocation were a blight on his leadership.
He presided over the Anglo Leasing scam, the effects of which are being felt to date. Triton and the Cemetery land misallocation were a blight on his leadership.
The Artur brothers flourished under his watch. They led the infamous raid on Standard newspapers.
He let his wife loose, terrorizing those she fell out with at will, running the affairs of state like a private entity. We all remember how she stormed the ‘NATION’ offices in the middle of the night in her night dress.
In 2007 Raila won fair and square but Kibaki stole his victory leading to that very dark part of our history, the Post Election Violence during which over 1300 Kenyans lost their lives and hundreds of thousands displaced. As the country burnt, he was being sworn in at night. If only he had conceded defeat the mayhem, destruction of life and property would not have occurred. If only he had he had remembered that the country is always bigger than individuals, he would have gone to Othaya to enjoy his pension with his lovely wife and saved the country a lot of grief.
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