ODM troubles: Why leaders need to write wills for their nations

The more Kenya’s major parties face trouble after their founders pass on or leave active politics, the more many begin to develop an interest in the culture of political leaders writing wills for smooth successions.

An examination of leadership transitions after the deaths of party leaders reveals that hardly do leaders and historical personalities endeavour to organise the future of their political vehicles when age begins to trouble them.

It is interesting that, in their private lives and personal front, these leaders hardly fail to write wills on how their wealth will be distributed to their children. Some even leave instructions on how they will be buried.

Kisumu Governor Peter Anyang Nyong’o recently published thoughts entitled ODM wrangles: The party must go back to basics.

The man whose name is synonymous with the ODM party conveys his thoughts that go beyond the party and addresses the country. The content evokes memories of historical wills written by makers of history.

Congo’s first prime minister Patrice Emery Lumumba, for instance, is an easy pick on this. In 1960, the United States and Belgian conspired and got Lumumba overthrown and detained him with his two Cabinet ministers.

When it became obvious that Lumumba was going to be killed, he wrote a letter to his wife addressing the Congolese people. He defined their political path in full consideration of the prevailing political circumstances under Mobutu and the colonial Belgium state. Historians have christened the letter as Lumumba’s “will” for the Congolese people.

This is the impression one gets when they read Nyong’o’s piece similarly inspired by the  sad turn of events in the fast degenerating trajectory of the fabric of Kenya.

Ernesto Che Quevara found himself in comparable circumstances. He opted to launch an internationalist revolutionary mission abandoning Cuba after uncomfortable relations with his Cuban comrades. That disconnect was captured in an advisory letter where he addressed his comrades in power.

Despite being under 40, Quevara was executing his duty as a co-father figure to the Cuban revolution. He was later killed in Colombia but his immortal words were a “will” that inspired the defense of the Cuban revolution.

Will Prof Nyong’o’s advisory acquire the requisite stature to guide Kenya?

Despite having had ten years of reflections in a colonial prison and another fifteen in power, Jomo Kenyatta left us with no instructive word worth calling a “will”.

The Kenyan experience in this regard is generally not great. Kenyatta ruled Kenya putting personal interest first. Any progressive advice to future generations would have negated everything that his leadership represented. He refused to act responsibly by staying in power till senility set in. 

Nyong’o’s writeup was rich in content comparable to the proverbial elephant that could be variously described. For instance, he writes:

“A movement that cannot reproduce leadership cannot reproduce relevance.”

Nyong’o argues that that is ODM’s virus.

Being a senior citizen, a scholar and a leader, he refuses to sink into specifics, but his message is clear enough for even the slow mind to understand.

Here, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and Raila may have a case to answer. What would have happened if Jaramogi, the octogenerian, would have surrendered the presidential ticket to Paul Muite or any of the young Turks?

Ignoring that succession moment may have denied progressive forces victory. Jaramogi died two years after the 1992 first multi-party election, underscoring the miscalculation that Ford Kenya had made by insisting that he goes for the presidency. Perhaps that was Jaramogi’s time to do a political “will” and not running for the presidency.

If Raila had won in 2022, he would have vacated the office through natural attrition, some think. He would have served only two years, similar to his father Jaramogi.

Despite the heavy load of work as governor, Orengo realizes that there can never be a successful county in a failed country. There is no doubt anywhere about where the hopes of the nation lies. Orengo and his people within ODM belong there.

Political wills are not just done because of the age of those in leadership. They are written to manage and guide political transitions to guarantee continuity.

Let’s face it. The problems ODM is going through are a consequence of Raila’s refusal to acknowledge his mortality. Had he, he would have organized succession within ODM. Those who write their wills correct and explain their past and avail themselves an opportunity to influence the substance of their epitaph.