BY RANGINYA
“When Luos are forced to choose between democratic courage and slavish opportunism, they do not admire the obedient – they rally to the brave,” Prof Edward A. Oyugi.
In Luo folktales, the most celebrated legends, such as Luanda Magere and Gor Mahia, were revered for their supernatural strengths and military prowess. Pre-independence social anthropologists and colonial officials, such as E.E. Evans-Pritchard, Gordon Wilson, etc., often described the Luo of Kenya as a proud, fiercely independent, and intellectual.
The Luo were “irresistible, awful, marvellous”. “Notoriously resistant” to early colonial cash-cropping and taxation, they were also seen as highly adaptive, rapidly embracing formal Western education, Christianity, and wage labour later in the colonial period.
They migrated from the Nile Valley as brave warriors who moved into Nyanza through a combination of trade, conflict, and assimilation. The Luo were frequently described as valuing eloquence, legal debate, and education, with a strong aptitude for political leadership, as observed by their prominence in the early nationalist movement and trade unionism”.
Consequently, throughout their history up to the present day, Luos have consistently held in high esteem leaders who possess at least some of the following characteristics: intellect, courage, bravery, composure, eloquence, and principled behaviour.
Notably, even figures such as Dr Ouko, Oloo Aringo, and Omamo were highly respected, despite their association with the Moi government, which was largely disliked by the Luos, due to their intellect, composure, and eloquence. The most highly regarded Luo leaders possessed all, if not most of these qualities, Raila being the most obvious.
Raila demonstrated to the entire Luo Nation for decades that whether you are in government or opposition, be in it standing up, not kneeling down.
There is no single person who has these traits in Oburu’s TUTAM brigade. They are a bunch of self-seeking cowards who do not meet the historical standards set by our time in existence. They began to capitulate immediately after BABA departed, and the trend persists. From the outset.
Oburu, rather than informing Ruto that mutual support was the intention, he instead told Ruto that: “We will support you.” Wanga and Junet, instead of expressing that BABA had left them in a broad-based government and that they would continue if their conditions were satisfied, echoed that they would remain where BABA had left them unconditionally.
Atandi, rather than posting on Facebook the day following BABA’s internment that he was now pledging his lifelong loyalty to Ruto, should have articulated that with his party leader’s departure, his loyalty must now be earned.
Jared Okello, instead of conveying to Ruto that they are now orphans and cannot stipulate conditions for their support, ought to have asserted that while they may be orphans, he must earn their backing.
The low IQ Wandayi, instead of telling Ruto that: “Development is not a birthright but presidential favour,” should have said that “While development is a constitutional right, you are the president now.” etc.
The result of this worship is clear. Even before they start negotiating, the presidency, deputy presidency and zoning are off the table. And they are too weak to resist.
The resurgence of Governor Orengo as a political force is driving these cowards to madness. How is this possible? Orengo was expected to be finished and irrelevant (I was among his most vocal critics regarding his performance in Siaya). These traitors have shown no interest in understanding the history of the people they purport to lead.
The abrupt departure of BABA generated uncertainty within the Luo Nation. However, as the situation stabilises, the Luo Nation will respond as they have always done; they will unite behind the brave, the courageous, principled, articulate and composed. When they assess who fits this description, they recognise Governor Orengo, Babu Owino, and Winnie. And because of BABA, it is no longer the Luo who rally to brave but Kenyans in general.
First it was Gen Z. Now Luhyas have abandoned cowards like Weta & Mudavadi for the brave: Sifuna, Natembeya, Osotsi, Hamisi. Kisiis to Matiangi, Onyonka. Ndindi Nyoro & Gachuagua in central.
Every discussion that I had the privilege of undertaking with BABA always boiled down to “How do we make lives of our people better? This man spent his entire life fighting for the downtrodden. 157 days since he died, the leadership of his party has never mentioned: high cost of living, corruption, abuse of human rights, police brutality, unemployment, SHA, education in any rally except in the fraud release of 10-agenda report.
Lit ndhi! They are busy worshipping a government whose State House has a budget of 17 billion and fights to posses Nairobi Hospital, yet the cancer screening machine in KNH has not been operational for months.
In the fullness of time, the reigning dilemma on who deserves the Luo votes in 2027 will be simply be resolved by a logic derived from our collective and honourable experience through time.
