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The Legacy of Fear: How the Shadow of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Shaped Kenya's Political Landscape In the annals of Kenya's political history, the events of 1969 stand out as a defining moment marked by fear, coercion, and manipulation. The political tension surrounding Jaramogi Oginga Odinga's candidature led to a series of oath-taking ceremonies in Gatundu that forever altered the fabric of Kenyan society. Understanding this historical context is crucial, especially when contemporary politicians attempt to invoke these dark chapters for political gain. The Fear of Jaramogi and the Birth of the Gatundu Oath The roots of the infamous Gatundu oath can be traced back to the fear and propaganda surrounding Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, the former vice-president and then-leader of the opposition. By 1969, the political landscape in Kenya was charged with tension. The assassination of Cabinet Minister Tom Mboya on 5th July 1969 had already set a volatile backdrop. Within this context, Pr

Vote wise, not popular

"Let's have a debate, but please ask easy questions only.
If you ask hard ones, I won't come back. By the way,
I want to be your president!"
Kudos for the first ever Kenyan presidential debate and I'm sure the organisers are learning lessons and it will keep getting better.

I have read that the moderators "concentrated too much on Uhuru Kenyatta" and were "tough on him."

Unfortunately, the debate is part of the democratisation process of this country and Kenyans fought hard for that space. The debate is part of the different initiatives that allow Kenyans to occupy that space. Therefore, refusal to participate in the debate smacks of disdain to citizens and could be a indication of things to come. 

Before elections is the only time we have to engage with those seeking elective office. Could refusal to engage be a TNA strategy? If the polls showed that Uhuru Kenyatta shone in the first round, should that not have bolstered his confidence? Remember how Waititu went on interviews all weekend after he won the primaries? What happened when they started to dig deeper? He simply stopped showing up.

Finally, I do not buy the story that these people are biased against Uhuru and do not like him. At the end of the day, whoever wins the presidency will have been "unliked" by at least 40% of the Kenyans! A leader must be ready to know that there will be times he will have to make an unpopular decision because it is the right one.

I chose to investigate before I invest and yes, voting for Kenya is an investment, so refusal to willingly offer yourself for engagement is like buying a car on as-is-basis; you will only find out what is wrong with it after you have bought.

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