What is Raila’s stance on Kenya’s continued occupation of Somalia? What is Raila’s stance on the IEBC? What is Raila’s stance on Eurobond? What is Raila’s stance on Okoa Kenya referendum?
Let’s take the Eurobond scam, for instance. In the last couple of months, the opposition is literally ‘stuck’ on this issue. It has been the single most significant issue to the opposition, or, to be more religious, to Raila Odinga.
He has prosecuted the Eurobond in the court of public opinion. And Eurobond is not a mean issue to prosecute. Some sh250 billion is involved, and lots of careers. In fact, the very legitimacy of Uhuru regime rests on how it weathers the Eurobond storm. Uhuru regime, with its legendary opaqueness, has done everything to ensure the Eurobond cloud passes without a storm.
For several weeks now, Raila has maintained his ground. To the chagrin of Uhuru regime, the Eurobond scam hasn’t passed. The dark clouds continue to hang on it.
But in the last two weeks, either Raila has started flip-flopping or the media is maliciously misquoting him. And the Kenyan press, especially Nation Media Group, seem to have decided the Eurobond will no longer be prosecuted ‘against the government’ on its print and broadcast (remember the media firm recently sacked a journalist who blasted Uhuru regime of poor governance record for ‘endangering its businesses’). Media statements coming from Odinga doesn’t ooze confidence in Raila supporters that he is still interested in pursuing Eurobond.
Let me use these FOUR articles to explain: (1) “Cord leader Raila says he’ll name Eurobond thieves” (December 17, 2015); (2), “Raila gives Tobiko three-day ultimatum to name those involved in Eurobond saga” (January 9, 2016); (3) Raila names ‘persons of interest’ in Sh250 billion Eurobond saga (Jan 14, 2016); (4) “Raila says Nyaoga, Odhiambo not guilty of funds scam, backs Tobiko probe” (Daily Nation, (January 24, 2016), (2) “.
When you read all the articles, chronologically, you realise Mr. Odinga has at least flip-flopped one one thing: naming Eurobond THIEVES (emphasis mine). From Dec 17 to Jan 9, Mr. Odinga had built a public expectation that he will name THIEVES. When he finally named some individuals, he termed them ”persons of interest”. They included Treasury CS Henry Rotich, his PS Dr. Kamau Thugge, ex-CBK Governor Prof. Njunguna Ndung’u, CBK Chairman Mohammed Nyaoga, Head of Public Service and Uhuru’s Chief of Staff Joseph Kinyua, CBK Accountant General Bernard Ndung’u, CBK acting Financial markets Director John Birech, CBK Financial management director Moses Muthui and Patrick Kamau.
Are there Eurobond thieves out there?
This week, Mr. Odinga has again been defending these same people he named at a time the expectation was that he will name thieves. They are not theives. They are persons of interest. Where are the thieves?
Because of their constitutional pedestal in the country’s financial management system, the people Raila named are rightly persons of interest. They know a thing or two on the Eurobond. On their desks, even for a second, the Eurobond buck had rested.
Indeed, had Mr. Odinga just said he will name ‘persons of interest’ in the Eurobond scam, it would have achieved far better results than promising the public heaven then delivering hell. The journalist who said he ‘farted’ may, after all, not have been wrong, despite the bile he received from ”Raila supporters”.
What is Mr. Odinga’s stance on Kenya’s continued occupation of Somalia? Should KDF pull out or stay there? What is Odinga’s current stance on IEBC? Should the body be disbanded? Should Chair Isaack Hassan resign? Is the commission suited to conduct either a referendum or an election? Should ODM supporters trust IEBC or not? Is Okoa Kenya referendum urgent? How urgent?
It is a year to another election and Mr. Odinga can’t start flip-flopping now.
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