Nasa presidential flag-bearer Raila Odinga. [Photo/ zip.co.ke]
For months now the biggest open secret in Kenyan politics is the fraud that is Nasa.
While the five principals led by flagbearer Raila Odinga continue using brand Nasa, it has become clear with the presenting of the presidential aspirant credentials that Nasa is a pure fiction.
Since it was formed in January, the principals had over 150 days to register Nasa as a political entity, just like Jubilee is officially registered and is an amalgamation of many parties joining together in a unified list.
However, this was never done.
While some will claim that this is not a primarily relevant point, it is actually the most relevant point of the whole elections.
Raila Odinga is officially the presidential aspirant of ODM, and Kalonzo Musyoka is running as his deputy, also under the ODM banner.
Kalonzo’s Wiper Party, Moses Wetang’ula’s Ford-Kenya, Musalia Mudavadi’s ANC and Isaac Rutto’s Chama Cha Mashinani Party are not on the ballot either.
This means that should Raila win the elections, ODM wins the elections and he will have an absolutely free hand to decide what to do and how to form his government. Any agreement formed under Nasa will have no legal bearing and will not stand up in any constitutional court.
Followers of Kalonzo, Wetang’ula, Mudavadi and Rutto will be completely disenfranchised and left out in the cold. Their supporters will assume they are supporting their particular principal and party, but the reality would leave Raila and ODM 100% in control of their votes and their party’s political future.
If anyone doubts this scenario, they just have to ask someone who has experience in such matters.
The basis of Raila’s dismissal of the infamous 2013 MoU with Kalonzo was also a technicality; that it was made while the alliance was called CORD and now it is called Nasa so it has no official or legal basis and did not need to be honored.
If anyone thinks that Raila will honor any commitment or his word is obviously a newcomer to Kenyan politics. Raila has a long and consistent record of using and abusing political parties, alliances and allies for his one supreme goal in life, to be Kenya’s president in a power-hungry grab.
If this scenario seems far-fetched then any of the Nasa principals are welcome to provide an alternative explanation about why they didn’t undertake or even attempt the rudimentary steps necessary to register their alliance as an official political entity.
Raila has always had two dates at the focal point of his attention, August 8th and August 9th.
Raila is riding the Nasa wave and hopes enough Kenyans will be duped into thinking that this is a new uncorrupted Odinga, that the leopard has somehow changed his spots.
While the tactics may vary, Raila’s strategy never has.
It is simply to hitch a ride on a party or alliance until its usefulness has waned. It doesn’t matter which party or acronym he appropriates as a tool for his lust for power, be it FORD-Kenya, NDP, KANU, Rainbow Movement, NARC, ODM, CORD and NASA, there has always been the day after.
Come August 9th, and if in the unlikely situation Odinga wins more than 50% of the presidential vote, Nasa will immediately cease to exist.
The other four principals, and their supporters, may complain and grumble, but they will have no legal or constitutional instrument to rely on. They will just be another group of victims of Railocracy.
An “ocracy” is defined as a government by a particular type of people or according to a particular principle. Railocracy will become known as a form of government where Raila holds and wields absolute and total power.
This is the sobering thought that the people of Kenya, whether Nasa or Jubilee supporters, must hold onto when they deliver their votes on August 8th.
Kenya has overcome major obstacles to become the democracy, albeit imperfect, that it is today. We fought hard for a constitution which gives all Kenyans regardless of background equal rights, where our country moves forward to become a middle-income nation and pushes ever forward on the global stage, shaking off our history of corruption and violence.
All of this is at stake should Railocracy win the day.
Let’s not bury our heads in the hand like Kalonzo, Mudavadi, Wetang’ula or Rutto, but see Raila for who and what he is.
Before it is too late.