By Wakili Kevin Omwanza
For majority youth there is little in Raila’s physical features, oratorical skills, or talent to like; his youth is spent; he disdains flamboyance. As far as charm etc is concerned Raila is a late comer.
Therefore, if we love him, then it has to be for something more innate, metaphysical, and profound.
For me, it is for his sacrifices and vision for this country.q
He didn’t just bequeath this country with a multiparty democracy, he’s also gifted us with devolution.
The concept of devolution was meant to devolve powers to county executives, ensure equitable distribution of national resources, and defuse the destructiveness of competition for the presidency.
Devolution, when rightly implemented, makes people more interested in who becomes their county governor than who becomes the president.
It is an idea that threatens the status quo. They want the concentration of powers in the presidency because, that way, their backyards, and their private businesses get to benefit more. They get to call the shots.
And that is precisely why they are fighting Raila tooth and nail. That is why they splurge obscene amounts of resources to ensure the complete and final defeat of Raila.
During the campaigns, Raila promised that 45% of the national revenue would be disbursed to counties during his tenure – a significant increase from the 15% currently being disbursed. That would mean that in Rao’s tenure, the national government remains with 55%, of course for payment of civil and public servants, funding of national govt projects, and suchlike.
The former regime (the govt of jubilee) was intent on clipping the wings of devolution. They emasculated governors, throttled the funds trickling down there, and emboldened county commissioners who they hope will check and overshadow governors.
Devolution needs Raila.
We’ve done our part. The case is now before the Supreme Court. No amount of whining, social media commentaries, and campaigns will help the judges in arriving at a just, fair, and wise decision. All we can do right now is pray.
When Esther was petitioning the king on behalf of the Jews at Susa, the Jews were fasting and praying that the Lord mellow the heart of king Xerxes – 1 Kings 4:16.
Well, the outcome doesn’t have to go our way. It will turn on the weight and probative value of the evidence as well as the cogency and strength of counsels’ arguments. So, let’s pray our lawyers are infilled with divine wisdom and that the judges are wise and magnanimous enough to discern truth and permit it.
