Raila's promise and why he is unlikely to see or speak no evil until 2027

In the clearest indication of his political allegiance yet, former Prime Minister and Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga has made a promise to William Ruto and his allies in the Kenya Kwanza regime that leaves no doubt as to what he has in store for the country: Until 2027, it's business-as-usual.

He is—and will be—in government to make Dr Ruto and himself comfortable, and those calling for accountability in street protests should join the statues of Dedan Kimathi and Tom Mboya in silence as Kenya will be busy dialoguing and tinkering with the Constitution.

The otherwise legitimate concerns about official corruption, wastage and opulence on the part of State officers are no business of his. The youthful, anti-regime protesters calling for an end to police brutality and justice for victims of State-sanctioned rights violations should nurse own wounds following the new “shoot-in-the-leg” order in silence as protests organised or led by any man or woman other than 'Tinga' are now illegal noise in Kenya.

And those ruling party politicians and their Opposition allies hiring and arming goons to “police” demos—even though the latter only loot businesses, assault peaceful, unarmed protesters as well as passersby, and obstruct the work of journalists, consequently adding to the terror long-associated with the excesses of security agents—should keep up their acts of patriotism.

Raila is happy with the (In)dependent Electoral and Boundaries Commission as newly constituted. And he has yet to hear anyone say they will rig the presidential elections in Ruto's favour in 2027. In fact, it would be even wiser—and in the country's interest—to rig the 2027 presidential elections in Ruto's favour as former DP Rigathi Gachagua is dangerous and divisive.

Raila does not—and no one should—trust such a hate figure as Mr Gachagua, impeached from office for, among other things, violating international law. It was Gachagua, not Ruto, who called up the army to violently quell the youth-led, anti-Ruto insurrection of June-July last year. And had it not been for him (Raila), Kenya would be a military dictatorship as I write this.

It was an act of pure patriotism on Raila's part to donate experts to the Ruto Cabinet after a section of ODM MPs, vilified and rightly called “tumbocrats”, visited State House and threatened to lead Ruto in a “maendeleo coup” spanning Luo Nyanza. Those who charge that Raila hijacked and profited from the Gen Z-led cause for better governance and accountability are wrong. They should remember that Raila, also known as Baba, is Kenya's “Patriot Number One”; that even when he has, not once, joined “the eating elite”, it has been for 'the sheeple' (read the people). And he has not ruled out doing it again in and after 2027. Such is the quotient and nature of his love for Kenya.

It's never his desire to be in government. He just seems to be the go-to guy for stability that no government can ignore. He boasts the kind of stardust for which both governments and 'the sheeple' compete after every election. And new-fangled referenda aimed at effecting not-about-the-people constitutional amendments are his favourite, crisis-moment pastime. Such is his political hue. And Gachagua, Gen Z, the army and 'the sheeple' should save their “must go” chants for a heroes contest against the (I)EBC in 2027.

Goon-enforced peace and stability, indeed, are—and should be—more important in a country that loses upto Sh2 billion to corruption daily. And even more important than perennial and genuine concerns about institutional capture, justice for all, jobs for an ever-burgeoning youthful demographic, a long-dysfunctional healthcare system and under-remuneration of teachers, lecturers, nurses, doctors and a myriad other true nation-builders, is and should be the welfare of the country's tiny “eating elite” and its “guest eaters.”