By Joab Apollo
Slain US President John F. Kennedy may have popularized the adage, “Success has many fathers, failure is an orphan” in the United States of America, but it’s in Kenya where the maxim has earned relevance.
Zambia, a Southern African country, recently held a hotly contested presidential election and, unlike many African countries, the opposition candidate Hakainde Hichilema trounced the incumbent, Edgar Lungu. No reports of ethnic blood bath and police brutality. No kidnapping of election officials, and arrest of opposition supporters.
And as expected, the outcome had to be envied by countries given to shambolic presidential elections. The East African country of Kenya was not left behind in scrambling to be a child of this fresh success. But while the discourse was expected to center around the need for a free and fair election, Kenyans decided to take their ethnic and sectarian politics to the cyberspace, with each faction drawing parallels between their candidate and Zambia’s new kid on the block.
Supporters of Raila Odinga, the veteran former Prime Minister, and those of controversial Deputy President William Ruto spent the better part of Monday fighting for a piece of Hakainde Hichilema. While Odinga’s supporters reckon that given that Hichilema vied six times to emerge the winner, it’s a sign of better things to come for their leader who will be making a fifth stab for Kenyan presidency come 2022 election.
Ruto’s supporters on the other hand hold that the defeat of an incumbent in the Zambian election foreshadows success to their candidate who is at loggerheads with President Uhuru Kenyatta, the holder of the instruments of power who is at loggerheads with Ruto.
Dominic Mutai, a Ruto supporter, posted on Facebook thus: “congratulations to this Hustler. The system and deep state couldn’t stop the will of the people.”
Morton Mbogo, another Ruto follower said: “We Kenyans have learned something about the Zambian election. System and deep state have been defeated by the Hustler nation.”
Ruto’s supporters have christened themselves as hustlers, Kenyan political parlance for the downtrodden. They believe the rulers of Kenya, christed the Deep State, have no say in the leadership of the country.
But Raila Odinga’s supporters disagree with them
BabashaenPoetryPieces opined: “10 opposition parties came under UPNDP Alliance of Hakainde Hichilema and defeated the incumbent. When you realize only coalition works, it will be late. Bottom up and hustlers narrative have not reached the levels of a coalition. These are signs of Baba also getting it.” Raila Odinga is affectionately referred to as Baba by his fans.
John Francis said: ” Hichilema contested six times and won. Baba has done it four times. He will do it the fifth time in 2022 to be the Fifth President of the Republic of Kenya.”
Renowned political scientist, Professor Mutahi Ngunyi, believed to be President Uhuru Kenyatta’s political mouthpiece, had no kind words for William Ruto.
“Before Ruto releases a #DryFry comparison between himself and Hakainde Hichilema (HH), President-elect of Zambia, the record must reflect this: HH ran for President 5 times. HH was in opposition. Ruto is in government outside government by choice.” He tweeted.
Raila Odinga of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and Deputy President William Ruto of the newly-formed United Democratic Alliance (UDA) are viewed as the front-runners for the Kenyan presidency. While Odinga is seen to have the back of President Kenyatta, Ruto has since fallen out with the state and is running his own campaign.
While congratulating the Zambian President-elect, Odinga said: “A free, fair, credible and verifiable election always certainly return the will of the people.”
