In Kenya, mentioning the name Raila sends shivers down the spine. Some say that the enigma in Raila is what makes him be derided or loved.
His fans and mockers have equally come to a conclusion that whether you like it or not, Raila is one wing of any present government (regardless of whether he is in that government or outside). The enigma in Raila, his fan bases boast, is what endears the son of Jaramogi to the people.
Over the years now, Raila has been the voice of reason, democracy, accountability, and transparency in Kenya’s political space. It has so much affected any government to the extent that they find him to be a ‘bother’. Today, the now Kenya Kwanza government is mulling the likelihood of working with Raila, even after chest-thumpings from its two top most leaders. To Raila supporters, it’s the enigmatic nature of their leader that makes them support everything the scion of opposition politics says – or the direction that he gives.
The enigma in Raila has led these supporters to pull funny lines in support of their guy. Some leaders have even said that if Raila tells you that your wife is pregnant, it’s only wise that you start buying napkins and baby shawls.
What is their point? Any time Raila talks of a racket in the government, even when he is in the opposition, the truth is that there would be 100% possibility of that racket has already been planned by that government operatives. The enigma in Raila, needless to say, is what made any successive government to consider working with him – because he has constantly known them inside and outside in equal measure.
Another recent line of joke by Raila’s enthusiasts has been that when Raila says that tomorrow will be Christmas day, you better start doing shopping that very evening in the preparation for tomorrow’s celebration – even when it’s the month of July (just for example). Their point has been informed by the sheer manner in which anything that Raila says comes to happen.
The other day, Raila said that there would be nationwide demonstrations and two public holidays per week. True to his words, people demonstrated in the whole country, and more than 80% of people didn’t report to work in those two working days (Mondays and Thursdays) of the week. You wonder what people call the enigma in Raila? That is what it is. He makes the whole nation behave in the manner that he wishes.
