Now that former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has gone to the land without thunder, I paused to think about this enigma of a man.
Born of a legend, he charted his own path to become a legend himself. From obscurity, he crafted his own story through tears, sweat and blood. Enduring incarceration and detention for long periods of time, and from his testimony, he was kept incommunicado for six years; it is a wonder he didn't lose the ability to speak.
Six years of loneliness were made even more complicated by sleeping on a bare cement floor without a mattress. He rose from the ashes like the famed falcon and went on to become only the second Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya! Despite his national and global stature, Baba remained simple to the core. He picked his calls and would answer them himself. I had the privilege of sharing the seventh of January as a birthday, and every year for the last seven years,I would call him to wish him a happy birthday.
I will forever cherish his laughter as he thanked me for wishing him well. I have called Baba on a number of other occasions. During the 2022 campaign season, I called him regarding his then-pending visit to Nyeri. I told him that if he wanted the votes of our region, he should not mention his relationship with Uhuru Kenyatta because Mt Kenya was revolting against him.
I asked him to hype the “Kibaki Tosha” moment and promise my people jobs and positions in government. He listened silently but then told me it was an open secret that he was the Azimio candidate in a coalition led by Uhuru Kenyatta. When I pondered over that statement, which he repeated to me in Makueni two weeks to his visit, it had me thinking that ordinary mortals would have gone with the mantle that “the end justifies the means” and in a selfish way focused on the votes by ignoring Uhuru in his quest for votes. Instead, he chose to stand by Azimio, no matter the loss incurred. His opening line was: “Pokeeni salamu kutoka kwa rafiki yangu na Rais wa Jamhuri, Mheshimiwa Uhuru Kenyatta!"
I had another engagement with him after we constructed the Field Marshal Dedan Kimathi statue and monument at Karunaini Shrine. I had tried reaching Uhuru in vain. We had written letters through the Head of Public Service, Joseph Kinyua, but nothing positive came out of it. I called Baba and, knowing how much he adored freedom fighters, engaged him to secure Uhuru's commitment to coming to launch the monument.
A date was set, but an international assignment came, and both Baba and Uhuru had to travel out of the country. He was courteous enough to inform me. I also recall that during his campaign for the African Union Commission seat, I called him to wish him well. He was in Mozambique, and he told me his campaign was on course. When he lost, I called him the next day to wish him well. Incidentally, he wasn't forlorn and downtrodden as one would have expected.
He told me that despite his effort, it didn't go well. The rigorous campaign he ran was admirable, considering he was 79 years of age. I have had interactions with Baba in Kisumu Airport on two occasions, and we had the opportunity to engage on Mt Kenya issues. His mind was a historical museum of sorts. One day, we flew together and shared seats on KQ from Mombasa to Nairobi. Baba noted the book I was reading, Dedan Kimathi on Trial by Julie Macarthur. He was immediately attracted to the book and asked him to scan through it. The book was the closest there has been to getting the authentic records of the trial.
I join our nation in honouring this Champion of Democracy. Farewell, Agwambo: Jakom: Tinga! Baba!
Dr Mutahi Kahiga (Phd) is the Vice Chairperson of the Council of Governors and the governor of Nyeri
