By Jim Bonnie
 Is “Team fresh” the best bet for Hon. Raila Odinga’s 2017 presidential bid?
That Hon. Raila Odinga’s name will be on the ballot come 2017 or earlier isn’t in doubt. This mighty name may not just be on the ballot but, it may finally land in state house for the first time. This line is however lethal to that outfit called TNA.
In the last highly contested elections, jubilee side of coalition was credited for having run a very colorful campaign. They also championed their propaganda of “he took us to Hague” using the entire machinery of state and non-state.
Nevertheless, whether their mode of campaign catapulted their ratings among the electorate is a subject of debate. As for me, I think electoral hooliganism they perpetuated on the actual Election Day and ensuing days of tallying the votes is what made them ‘seat their asses’ on that seat of power.
ODM on the other side bore the brunt of blame for the worst campaign ever by both critics and followers. I partially concur with some on this. Many still believe that if the party conducted a well coordinated campaign, “we” would now be in that house on the hill.
The now famous old guards fencing Hon. Raila Odinga are seen as the cause for the old-styled type of campaign. In short, the new generation of voters’ political awareness has gone high. They want things done smartly and conform to the new digital age standards.
Could these sentiments have informed the “team fresh” bid for the party’s leadership? Is this youthful talented group of leaders ready to outwit the party’s enemies? Keith Richards explains, “If you are going to kick the authorities in the teeth, you might as well use two feet”.
In the ensuing battle, ODM must get ready to use its two feet – the experience of the old and the innovative skills of the young – in kicking whoever will be their greatest opponent in 2017. In this battle royal, it shouldn’t panic kicking Uhuru Kenyatta below the belt.
To prove their critics wrong, this team led by Hon. Ababu Namwamba conducted one of the finest campaigns. It has never been seen in history of Kenyan politics where candidates for political party posts traverse the country with choppers to meet delegates.
These campaigns were well oiled and properly managed with strategy meetings held frequently. It reminded one of the Obama campaigns of 2008. This team proved that apart from being ready for the task ahead in managing the party, they are ready to repackage Hon. Raila Odinga’s 2017 campaigns.
Forget the propaganda that URP financed them. In a contest with stakes raised so high like this one in ODM, anything can be said especially by opponents who feared contest from the word go and expected to leverage on their connections within the party to gain undue advantage over others.
Change as we know is always a bad serve for the status quo. It’s quite clear that there are those in the party who careless whether the party wins or loses as long as they continue leveraging on party’s reputation to swim in the political sea.
The folks with this retard mentality will prevail upon any voice of reason with the intention of subduing it or killing it completely if possible. The group yearning for sweet victory is nonetheless adamant and persistent in their quest for change.
Considering this group’s zeal and determination, and looking forward to what Hon. Raila Odinga’s 2017 campaign should entails, it comes out as the best bet for the task ahead. Let’s give our opponents what they don’t want – bitter pill.
I would go for this team knowing the kind of battle we are preparing for. Otherwise, we may end up in Hell where the best we can do is wet our pants in horror.
The writer comments on topical issues.