Re: Raila Will Address Corruption and Historical Injustices on “Our Backs”.
A popular and common Jubilee line goes something like this:
“Jubilee has fought against corruption like no other administration in Kenya’s history”.
Once the line is parroted, party toadies parade themselves on TV talking up the party’s so-called “successes against corruption” despite the consensus among ALL Kenyans that President Uhuru Kenyatta and Jubilee have failed miserably in said fight.
So it was that AG Githu Muigai, sitting next to the Swiss Ambassador Ralf Heckner recently touted the government’s progress in “recovering” and “confiscating” assets related to the Anglo-Leasing scandal worth Ksh200 million that were stashed away in Swiss bank accounts. According to Jubilee, “recovering” approximately 0.359% of the total amount stolen IS success in the “fight against corruption”.
NOTE: Most sources peg the losses caused by the Anglo Leasing scandal at a conservative KSh.55.6bn ($556.5mn). The KSh.200mn ($2mn) Mr. Muigai’s team supposedly “recovered” constitutes 2 ÷ 556.5 or 0.359% of the looted amount!
For a combination of obvious and not-so-obvious reasons, President Kenyatta has failed (refused?) to prosecute key figures implicated/mentioned in the scandal including David Mwiraria (RIP), Kiraitu Murungi, Chris Murungaru etc.
Why has Jubilee dithered on grand corruption?
Because its leaders, aside from being fully implicated AND complicit in grand corruption and kleptocracy have also realized that the narrative on the twin scourges has changed over the years and no longer carries the negative punch or connotation it used to:
(Think the 2016 US Elections where blatant racism, xenophobia and infidelity did not stop Donald Trump from becoming president.)
If touting the recovery of less than 0.4% of stolen tens of billions doesn’t convince you, consider the blithe comment offered by an ardent Jubilant: That Waiguru’s billions, no doubt approved, at least tacitly, by her boss (UK) “didn’t render (the) treasury empty (thus) their looting made no difference” hence others should “just get (their) share anyhow”.
The reality is that there are some Kenyans who don’t see stealing as a problem – so long as one is not caught. It is a sentiment that lines up with a survey conducted by the East African Institute (EAI) titled the “Kenya Youth Survey Report” and published in the January 16, 2016 Standard. The survey revealed that 50% of Kenyans do not care what means one uses to make money so long as they are not caught!
Consequently, and as untenable as it seems, Mr. Odinga and the NASA brain trust should position their campaign strategy around that of the conman/business man who willingly loses two hundred-million-shillings from a heist that grossed fifty-five point six-five BILLION shillings. In political terms, NASA should forego issues such as corruption and historical injustices (KSh. 200mn) for the KSh.55,400,000,000 payoff that is the presidency i.e. KSh.55.65bn minus KSh.200mn!
I say this because the fear a lot of Kenyans have – that a Raila Presidency will remedy or address corruption and historical injustices on their backs – is as palpable and visceral as it is grossly misplaced.
That lie, while aided by some misconstrued and ill-timed utterances by the man (Raila) is like the lie peddled by some Americans that “Obama will take away ‘our’ guns” and “introduce ‘Sharia Law’ in America”.
It doesn’t matter that the narratives are lies, quintessential fake news.
All that matters is that the fake news has caused serious, almost fatal damage to RAO’s reputation and his presidential aspiration just as they did to Obama’s standing, especially in the gun-obsessed “red states”.
All told, RAO’s campaign would be committing political suicide were it to feed said narrative in the run-up to August 8th.
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