Lest We Forget; What I Said Then.

Raila On BBC Hard Talk;: Nothing Personal!!!

Posted on January 17, 2008.

Mr Raila Odinga, Kenya’s opposition leader claimed that there is nothing personal between him and president Kibaki. Asked why there was no communication between him and Kibaki when they met in parliament, he said Mr Kibaki refused to greet him when he passed by. Worth to note, Mr Odinga did not stand when the president elect entered the parliament. Nothing personal indeed.

Asked if he supported the slogans used by his supporters e.g. Kibaki in a coffin with the inscriptions RIP, No Raila No Peace, No Raila No Kenya, he tried to interpret that as a message that Kibaki’s time as the president was over. Pushed further, he seemed to lack words and says then that they(he, ODM) had no control of what messages people choose to put forward. Nothing personal.

Then came the question every one wants answered. ODM supporters burned a church full of women and children. His explanation? The attackers were chasing some people who ran into the church to seek refuge; they did not know that there were women and children in the church when they set it on fire. (We have all heard of the kid who ran out of the church only to be thrown back into the burning church). He means, burning of the church with a few people seeking refuge, or with the unfortunate occurrence of women and children being in the church is acceptable.

Kiambaa church(background) victim mourns her beloved...

Did the people in the church just by accident happen to be of Kibaki’s tribe? He did not at all seem to regret the burning. Nothing personal.

Doesn’t mass demonstrations in Kenya at this fragile stage mean more blood and more destruction? answer “no ours is a peaceful demonstration” Why would anyone carry stones, block roads and burn tires to say the least in a peaceful demonstration? Nothing personal.

Asked if he was prepared to talk with president Kibaki WITHOUT prior conditions ahead of the talks, he starts with giving his CONDITIONS as an answer. Is there anything that he and the members of the pentagon(now decayed) can do to stop the violence and ensure peace? No we have done everything we can. He then calls to his supporters to shun violence but he is not the least convincing, not even to the reporter. Nothing personal.

Asked if he supported the threat of sanctions by the EU while millions of Kenyans still live under extreme poverty, he said yes Kibaki has to be put under as much pressure as possible. He wants the "presidency that was stolen from him" and it does not matter who will pay in the course. Nothing personal.

It was proved that there were irregularities from both sides? Answer, no not from his side. That the chairman(Kivuitu) of the electoral commission was put under pressure by both sides? Answer, no not from his side. Nothing personal.

Raila got his chance to prove to the world what a statesman he is and he blew it! This is the one time he could have ended the violence by calling off his dogs but the only message that he brought forward is that Kenya will suffer until he gets his presidency! 

He is bitter that the police are opening fire against the violent hooligans and would rather see the ethnic cleansing continue! He wants his presidency, nothing personal!

The national burial of the Kiambaa church victims preceded over by President Emilio Mwai Kibaki. The absence of the Prme Minister Raila Amollo was noted.

By Njoro…My Expression(Then,now The Brief).