Raila-Kalonzo nepotism is sheer folly

IF it is true that Kalonzo Musyoka’s son and Raila Odinga’s elder brother have submitted “wind-assisted” applications for nomination to the EALA, my immediate reaction is that these are foolish moves.

This cannot not possibly come from people who are serious.

You cannot look for votes from the people and you hold the same people in such serious contempt.

The Luo people from Raila’s own home have told him, “We don’t want anything to do with your brother”.

But why does Raila’s family want everything? I have always asked them to choose between the presidency and these small things. It would appear they are choosing the small things. If people can tell you in no uncertain terms – and not once – that they do not want such and such a person, why must you recycle them?

Who would believe you if you told them about employment? But the more fundamental thing is that you are holding people in such complete contempt. You are showing them they don’t matter and you don’t care.

How can Kalonzo and Raila be doing this, when they are facing such a critical election? How? It has never been easy and Raila is not a person who doesn’t know history. Even when President John F Kennedy made his brother Attorney General of the USA, a man who was very qualified, the kind of heat it generated should be enough to tell the likes of Raila, 57 years later, it’s never always easy to bring family into top public leadership.

In the NASA leaders’ case, it’s worse because they are dong it at a time when they are vote hunting. JFK wasn’t looking for votes, he was already President when he appointed RFK. The public never takes it lightly when you show them leadership is yours as a right, an entitlement.

That brings me to the question of advisers. Do these people actually have advisers? We often hear they are advised by university professors: I will tell you why Raila risks losing this election. He doesn’t have advisers. The persons who masquerade as advisers around Raila are people who can’t talk to Raila, they can’t face him, they can’t look Raila in the eye, they can’t tell him the truth.

If the NASA principals had advisers, they would have told Kalonzo, Mudavadi, Wetang’ula, and Rutto, for instance, that Raila would be the Opposition presidential candidate.

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