MIGUNA MIGUNA ON…

POST-ELECTION VIOLENCE – ‘brave’ Kalenjin youth

We reminded Raila that of all the communities that had supported him in 2007, none had acted more gallantly than the Kalenjin, especially their brave youth. Many believe, with merit, that had the Kalenjin youth not fought in defence of Raila’s ‘stolen vote’, Kibaki wouldn’t have agreed to share power with him. And it was universally acknowledged that if there was one person who deserved praise for mobilizing the Kalenjin youth during that period, it wasn’t the ODM chairman Henry Kosgey, it was William Ruto.

And he [Raila] has betrayed the whole country. Five years since Raila became Prime Minister, he hasn’t done anything – not even make meek demands – to have many of the culprits of post-election violence face justice.

WILLIAM RUTO – ‘extremely restless’

Ruto is charismatic, articulate, hardworking, rumbustious and ambitious. He is also extremely restless. Unlike both Raila and Mudavadi, he is also a teetotaler, and thus less distracted from political campaigning.

MUSALIA MUDAVADI – ‘slow, methodical’

Mudavadi is the exact opposite [of Ruto]; dour, technocratic, patient and soft spoken, he exhibits the characteristics of a traditional English gentleman. Mudavadi rarely shows emotion no matter how angry or aggrieved. He projects the image of a slow, methodical and calculating person.

FRANKLIN BETT – ‘a loose canon’

I didn’t trust Bett. He was full of drama and intrigues. Based on my conversations with people who had worked closely with Moi, but who had never sucked too deeply into the Nyayo ways, Bett was considered a loose canon; someone you couldn’t rely on.

SALLY KOSGEI – ‘remarkably bright’

Sally [Kosgei] was different. She was learned, urbane and sophisticated. She was remarkably bright.

CAROLI OMONDI

In fact, with the benefit of hindsight, it is now crystal clear to me that Caroli Omondi, who tripled up as Raila’s private secretary, ‘chief of staff’ and dealmaker…

Meanwhile, Caroli was boasting to me and other people of how he had “fixed Sally”[Kosgei]. “Sally will not mistreat me under the government of Raila son of Odinga… She did that to me during Moi’s reign when I was working at the Energy Regulatory Board: but not any more. You guys know what Sally did… It’s all there in Raila’s Enigma book. She would call and abuse Raila when she was Head of the Civil Service. So, she can go to hell!” 

MUTULA KILONZO – ‘lousy intellectual’

Mutula Kilonzo… a good crammer, but lousy intellectual, even in those early days [at university].

AMOS WAKO – ‘ever smiling snake’

The “embodiment of the culture of impunity in Kenya”, that ever smiling snake, Amos Wako, the then Attorney General…

RAILA ODINGA – ‘defended and shielded the corrupt’

‘… when confronted with credible allegations of graft around him, Raila openly and consistently defended and shielded the corrupt’.