My 34 Point Thesis why I, Kobia Mburugu, will vote Raila Amollo Odinga as Kenya’s next president

..My 34 Point Thesis why I, Kobia Mburugu, will vote Raila Amollo Odinga as Kenya’s next president:
(Caution: It is a long one. Take your time)
1. I want credible voting. Not stolen votes. Stolen votes mean the will of the people is vanquished. It has been like this in 2007 and 2013. I am dead sure it is only Raila who can bring meaning to my and your VOTE and give the Kenyan the power once again to change his political destiny if the government of the day fails its people. A government cannot be overly corrupt and empty state coffers so as to subjugate the voting system, thereby corrupting an electoral process against the will of the people. Kenya must be democratic. Elections must not be stolen. Put a stop to stolen elections and grand thieving of public money will subside considerably. I trust Raila to deliver us from flawed electoral process and thieving of state power.

2. 2017 elections is a two-horse race – a contest between ‘’old ways’’ and ‘’change’’. Given its likely either Uhuru or Raila will become the next president of Kenya, I will vote for change. I will vote Raila.

3. I have no hatred for the Kikuyu or Kalenjin or any tribe or clan. I personally have deep family roots with the Agikuyu and bosom friends with the Kalenjin and many other Kenyans of different tribal extraction. I don’t chose tribe. I have no hatred for the persons of Uhuru or Ruto. I have only concern for a better Kenya where we can all live together as Kenyans working in harmony so that we ALL can have decent lives. That is why I will vote Raila.

4. Demi-goddism, empty hero worship and politicians as deities: Someone has to demystify politics in Kenya. It is the only country where I see politicians wielding so much power that they are basically worshiped. Someone can kill on his way to power and nothing gets done. Therefore uthamakism. We cannot worship the same ordinary folks we voted to power as gods. That is why these chaps will continue to steal knowing that you folks are afraid of them and will be scared to fight for your rights. Got it? I will vote change. I will vote Raila.

5. Stealing: I have gone around the world and witnessed that every government has some stealing going on. But the kind of stealing in Kenya is way out of order. It is grand, GRAND, grandiose stealing. Stealing the future of the very country and its unsuspecting people?!! The stolen money is then used to buy power. That is what someone like Ruto has mastered. See, a MP will spend Kshs 70m to campaign for a position where s/he will earn a wage of Kshs 60m in 5 years. How does this MP recover the deficit of Kshs 10m? For the last 4 years, the Jubilee government has looted the coffers of state to a level never witnessed before. That is why I will vote change. I will vote Raila.

6. As the level of poor governance stands in Kenya today, a person born in Kenya today has a rat’s chance in hell-fire to have a decent life in the next 50 years. That is why I want change.

7. Since independence in 1963, Kenya took a wrong turn. The Mau Mau liberation fighters were shoved aside and the home-guards were handed reins of power for their sycophancy to the colonialists. I can just imagine how it would be in South Africa or Namibia if the black Koevet sympathizers who had joined the apartheid regime to fight against Nelson Mandela and all other anti-apartheid crusaders were handed the reins of power. The scenario in Kenya is pathetic: the colonial sympathizers and their cohorts took control of the state. We have black-skinned colonialists. That is why Raila.

8. Raila is the best placed to bring change and upset the Gravy Train which two tribes called Kikuyu and Kalenjin have chosen to ride on since independence at the expense of the rest 40 tribes of Kenya. It is the classic state capture. That needs to change. That is why Raila.

9. Raila was in a power sharing government between 2008 to 2013. As a prime minister, Raila was totally frustrated by President Kibaki, with major decisions being taken while he was away or he was brazenly ignored. In the corridors of power, he was referred by the other side as “Kimundu”, meaning ‘’that useless human being’’. In Michelle Wrongs’ seminal book focused on Kenya entitled ‘It’s Our Turn to Eat”, Raila’s tribulations and his powerlessness in the nusu-mkate government are laid bare.

10. Tribalism, corruption, impunity and Machiavellian politics: Is this what Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta can do for all the schooling on political science and government at Amherst College in the United States? I could have voted Uhuru and defended him with all my mighty. After all, I need no persuasion since he is our man! I come from Mt Kenya region. But I am tired of piece-meal politics and being identified with partisan politics. Totally tired. Punda amechoka! Uhuru could have won my vote and those of like-minded if for the last 4 years he worked hard to stitch Kenya together with a thread of national unity. Instead he has widened divisions, bought into ethnic scare mongering and been misled by a cohort of Kalenjin-Kikuyuaxis to continue side-lining Kenyans outside of Kikuyu and Kalenjin. For a youthful president –educated in the bastion of Democracy – and yet to continue with a thread of divisive politics of yesteryears is suicidal and self-defeating.Kenya is a Republic. Kenyans need each other to succeed and build a powerful country. Uhuru cannot deliver a unified Kenya even if he stayed in power for another century! That is why change.

11. The Kenyan elite: Most of you reading this will be strugglers, living by the day, not knowing much of what economic situation awaits. In that case, you are not economically secure. You mostly likely have never been to a well-governed country to compare with Kenya. The kind of leadership and governance you are witnessing is of thieves who have stolen Kenya for years (the elite) busy protecting their ill-gotten wealth. Power to them means PROTECTING their wealth. As for you, you are a cannon fodder. Makuchafu. A mere vote. Go and vote change. If not for you, for your children.

12. I have friends in diaspora who would kill for Uhuru and Ruto. Yet, the very reason they are living in diaspora is because they ran away from Kenya's the poor economic situation. From poverty and lack of fulfillment of expectations. They are economic refugees!! Period. Some left Kenya when they were pretty above 33 years, meaning that Kenya had failed them economically. By and large, the economy forced them to forsake parents, family, friends, great social life, country, to go and toil, working in tedious, emotionally draining jobs to earn the dollar or euro. So, if these folks are caught out in a time warp, supporting a failed regime, when will change come if they fail to shake the tree? The only thing they see is ‘’Kimundu Raila”. I tell them: Raila is the cornerstone that you have refused all along. Raila is the change for the betterment of Kenyans. That is why I will vote to give change a chance. If notforme, for my children.

13. Raila has long second-liberation credentials that gave birth to multi-partyism,drove KANU out of power by endorsing a new government – which then spent all its life betraying him - when he said ”Kibaki Tosha”, drove an advanced campaign of a referendum to found a new constitution that Uhuru and Ruto vehemently opposed etc…

14. Kenya is under the grip of Kikuyu-Kalenjinaxis of dominance since independence. This is a two-tribe set up. Simple! When will a Turkana or Miji Kenda or Somali become a president if we are under the cosh of a tribal power sharing deal until 2032 that we ourselves foolishly partake in? Let us assume I have very strong revolutionary leadership credentials as a Meru: what are my chances of ever becoming a president? Or my son, or my daughter? That is why this steering wheel must be wrestled from Uhuruto and give ourselves a chance for change.

15. Kenya is under an oligarch – or power wielded by a small group of people having control of the key resources and public purse. It is once again the classic state capture. The oligarch is primarily made of people from the Kalenjin tribe and the Kikuyu. However, majority of the Kalenjin and the Kikuyu are extremely poor. I would say that the oligarch make up less than 2% of the total numbers of these two tribes that have been in power since 1963. The Kikuyu are the majority tribe in Kenya but they have the greatest number of the poorest people in Kenya. The Kikuyus are majority economic refugees in Europe and USA. These oligarchs are a barrier to opening up Kenya’s wealth for Kenyans. Vote them out and give yourself, your family and your lineage a chance of better change going forward.

16. The spectre of a failed state in Kenya is highlighted by statistics that show that South Korea and Malaysia were in 1963 much poorer than Kenya. Because of poor governance and a thieving cabal of an elite that constitutes less than 2% of Kenyan population, Kenya continues to dredge herself deep into poverty and economic disempowerment.The problem is simply poor leadership and poor governance. Use your vote to change this.

17. Poverty and hunger have continuously been used by successive governments as stoking levers as to gain political expediency and garner votes. Poor and hungry people are always pliable: a captive audience for small handouts and source of votes. Poverty has a way of covering your eyes and mind and therefore you cannot think ahead, beyond your belly. Making and sustaining Kenyans as poor people has been a tool of our governance since 1963. Remember always that poverty is man-made. Use your vote to change this.

18. The politics of UNGA (maize meal flour). Unga is a staple for many Kenyans. In recent days it has featured in politics because Kenya has run out of unga. What a huge shame! 54 years since independence, Kenyans are dying of hunger and maize flour is nowhere! A country that was a bread-basket has become a basket case!??! A country with so much water resource and agricultural potential? What a shame on our leaders?!! What have they been doing for 4 years? See, hunger is a weapon used by politicians to gain votes in Kenya. Food is not a political tool but a human right! Vote wisely.

19. The ‘’Kimundu’’ hoax: Many Kenyans have been told that Raila is going to snatch their wealth from them if he becomes a president. That is fearmongering of the highest order. In fact, if Raila wanted to finish off Uhuru and Ruto, he would have done so when the ICC matter was at its peak. He did not. Yet Uhuru and Ruto seized upon a big lie that Raila was their enemy … and they managed to drive unsuspecting Kenyans to vote for them in 2013 so as to protect them from ICC. 4 years you wasted your vote to protect 2 Kenyans… how has your life improved by rewarding thieves who have now turned against you by stealing and corruption? If you go to the hospital, are Kenyans not dying because the nurses are not working because of poor pay? Kaa hapo udanganywe Raila is the bad guy. Kaa hapo. All facts put on the table, Raila was NOT part of taking Uhuruto to the ICC. It was a lie and it is a lie.

20. If Uhuru and Ruto we innocent of crimes against humanity as they claimed, why eliminate witnesses?
21. Every year, many Kenyans come of age and are thrust into search for employment. Every year, there are many many Kenyans available for work but because of grand corruption, stealing of public money, poor resources management by successive governments intent to keep Kenyans poor for sake of getting votes during the following elections cycle, the home-guard system cannot deliver. The home-guard system was built NOT to give all Kenyans a livelihood and a decent living but to enrich, feed, clothe and protect a few elite and their families.

22. Debt burden: In 2013, Kenya’s external debt burden stood at Kshs 1.5 trillion. In 2017, it is at Kshs 5 trillion!! Uhuru and Ruto have used the state of Kenya to borrow Kshs 3.5 trillion in 4 short years, whilst the previous regimes in 50 years borrowed a combined Kshs 1.5 trillion. What this means is that an unborn and a born Kenyan owes Kshs90,000!! We cannot mortgage our future and those of our children to foreign forces. Uhuruto do not give a rat’s ass if we all get screwed up or not! Vote change.

23. Having seen how young people are becoming billionaires at the age of 22 and how a hair saloonist gets to carry bags of billions from government coffers, the meaning of success to a Kenyan is that of having lots and lots of money. Absent in this ’’success’’ methodology is ‘’work’’ or ‘’hard work’’. Stealing from the government or being close to government officiados so that you can pilfer away large sums of money is the ‘’new success’’. I will vote Raila to end this maniac obsession with grand stealing!

24. Uhuru and Ruto have always resisted devolution and supported a centralized system that sees all deals done in Nairobi. Over the years, this centralization of resources has gone a long way to create a poorer Kenya that exists to this day. Devolution is the only way Kenya can distribute resources to every corner of the country. Raila has said 50% of the state money must go to devolved units. We can live with more funds are the devolved units, right?

25. Impoverishationof western Kenya, North Eastern, Coast and other regions outside of Mt Kenya region and Rift valley. If we drive to western Kenya, you can see increased poverty compared to central Kenya. One day, we of Mt Kenya will have to account for this deficiency because as history has proven again and again, you cannot suppress a people for so long.

26. Given their 4 years in power, Uhuru and Ruto can never ever turn the fortunes of Kenya. There is no revolutionary leadership qualities nor the urge to change the fortunes of the youthful Kenyans and the majority of Kenyans in the way they have done things the last 4 years. Give change a chance.

27. Is it me or has anyone noticed the increased interest by Uhuru and Ruto in taking over Turkana County for reasons of controlling oil? What does this say? The grand thieving train next station is Turkana?? Yes it is. . All Kenyan natural resources belong to all Kenyans. However, the home-guard system is a stealing system. Continue voting them at your own peril. Vote change.

28. The subjugation of the middle class by the political elite. The Kenyan middle class has failed majority of less-educated and less-knowledgeable Kenyans miserably. The middle class are well schooled, well-resourced,well-traveled people but instead of seeking genuine change to save the majority of Kenyans from poor governance and economic dire straits, the middle class seeks to identify with the elite and protect the elite. If they ever wanted, they can bring instant change by telling the majority vote wielding Kenyans to vote for change. But not for them. Where public schools education deteriorate, the middle class takes their kids to private schools; where hospitals have no medicine, the middle class flies their children out of the country; where roads become impassable, the middle class purchases 4x4s, etc.

29. The subjugation of the intellectuals. Highly educated and high end professions in public sector are poorly waged. A 54 year old government of the home-guards in a rich country like Kenya could have done better for its top brains. Pay low wages for a long period of time and the educated become accustomed to a system that shows them the poor, subdued masses languishing in the village shops and street corners. Do you understand why we have industrial labour action or strikes in the public sector? Wages are very low.

30. I know of well-educated folks who have been worn down by time, seeing others sell their souls to a dubious home-guard political system and become successful. Others are beneficiaries of the same home-guard system in place and are its gate keepers. So much frustrated by lack of financial breakthroughs are these folks that they have abandoned the pursuit of an egalitarian and open society with good governance and are fighting tooth and nail to sit at the table of thieving, or at worse, have proceeded to open their mouths ready to wolf down any crumbs thrown their way. I am saving them from this humiliation by voting Raila.

31. The Assumption that Kenyans are fools and will vote the way they voted last elections. Last elections, I watched in horror as Uhuru and Ruto took to cheating Kenyans that Raila took them to ICC. That was their clarion call and surely, it won them power. Not any more. How Possible? For once, I thought the Kenyans will see through this smokescreen. They did not. A few years down the line, most ICC witnesses went swimming with the sharks courtesy of Uhuruto, and the duo are looking at another election – to steal using SGR, Eurobond, NYS money. What have they done for the last 4 years to improve the welfare of the ordinary Kenyan? I will tell you. Whenever I go to the village, I am accosted by an increasing army of youth seeking handouts. That is what has happened the last 4 years – increased poverty. I also see more malnutrition-ized Kenyans. Kenyans need to vote out Uhuruto out of power.

32. The education system needs to be overhauled to tap on the increasing wastage of human resources. Uhuru and Ruto have been busy dealing, doing business with the government and lining their pockets and that of their families as to re-engineer the future of Kenya. Give change a chance by voting Raila.

33. I am from Mt. Kenya. I belong to the best buttered side of the bread or the seat of power. Many are asking why I am asking for this power to be taken away from our house. The answer is simple: I must participate in everything and anything like a Kenyan and not like a tribesman. I have lived in many countries and I have seen that good governance is not by the majority tribes, or tribal politics. Mandela and Mbeki came from Xhosa tribe, Hage Geingob of Namibia comes from a minority tribe, the Damara. Magufuli is not surely from the majority tribe. Kenya is a very rich country and I do not believe that this is the best we can have done for ourselves in 54 years of self-governance. We Kenyans like styling ourselves as go-getters, those who break the glass ceiling and create new breakthroughs. Why are we caught out in a moribund, wasteful, corrupt, thieving cabal of leaders? Is it because they are our tribesmen? Yes it is. In Kenya today, for one man to go up, 2000 must remain on the ground. These 2000 are the fuel that has been subjugated and whipped with poverty, hunger, tribalism, fear-mongering as to continue voting a 2% of an oligarchy that has sucked Kenya’s blood since 1963. If you think Raila is worse than Uhuru, think again.

34. I will therefore be voting for change. I will vote Raila. Not because he is the best. No. He is not. But I EXPECT him to steer Kenya away from the outright state capture, subjugation of Republican ethos, negative ethnicity, runaway corruption, grand thieving, impunity and unassailable politics that Jubilee has specialised in. I will bet my vote, my shilling and my last ass to ensure Raila becomes the president. In case he fails to deliver on these GREAT EXPECTATIONS, come 2022, God willing, I can promise him that I will lead a movement to take Kenya back to the Kalenjin-Kikuyupower axis. I will once again bet my vote, my shilling and my last ass to ensure we return back to the tyranny of numbers. But come August 8, 2017, I will seek to see a change for the better of the future of Kenya, that of my children and my children’s children. I want to see a unified Kenya. A well-managed Kenya. From where I am now, I can take any route away from these Uhuruto chaps. I will take the best alternative horse. I will ride with "hope for change" horse otherwise known as Raila Amollo Odinga.