While millions of Kenyans have been pannel-beaten into viewing the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) as the solution to the country’s political and economic crisis, residents of Kisumu have a very different perspective to the Raila-Uhuru led strategy.
For the vast majority of “Lake Victorians” and the wider Luo Nyanza constituency, BBI project is intertwined with massive development projects. For them, BBI is the ultimate signal that the decades-old political and economic marginalization of Nyanza province since flag independence is finally coming to an end.
Indeed, when President Uhuru Kenyatta paid a surprise visit to Kisumu soon after the presentation of the BBI document at Bomas of Kenya, his main agenda appeared to have been the launching of gigantic projects that have never been seen in Kisumu for more than 55 years.
Once he hit the ground, Uhuru visited the on-going Ksh 350 million refurbishment of the Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium. Formerly known as the “Mamboleo Sports Ground” the stadium was renamed after Uhuru’s father in June this year by Sports Cabinet Secretary, Amina Mohamed at a ceremony that was also graced by Kisumu Governor, Peter Anyang Nyongo. The stadium is seen as one of Uhuru Kenyatta’s flagship projects since he entered into the “Handshake pact” by Raila Odinga.
Uhuru Market
The next stop saw Uhuru visit the Ksh 350 million Uhuru Market complex situated at the Jua Kali area where several traders had their shacks demolished to give way for the new market complex. The market, which sits on a 23-acre land owned by the Kenya Railway Corporation, is on its first phase and is expected to house 10,000 traders. Finally, those who were violently evicted from their make-shift business premises have a reason to smile – thanks to the Handshake.
Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Sports Ground
Another critical spot that was in Uhuru’s list of stop-overs was the newly refurbished Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Sports Ground. The ground was formerly known as Jomo Kenyatta Sports Ground. However, after Mamboleo Sports Ground was renamed after Uhuru’s father, renaming Jomo Kenyatta Sports Ground after Raila’s father must have been born out of the need to break the monotony of the “Jomo Kenyatta” name on major establishments in Kisumu and to honour Jaramogi. The former Vice President does not have many institutions named after him.
Kisumu Port
After his two main stop-overs, Uhuru visited the much talked about Kisumu port. Since the Handshake, Uhuru has made some visits to the Port, thereby increasing expectations that finally, the Port is being revived.
Although the Port has not been commissioned, numerous construction activities at the site suggest that it is just a matter of time before the Port is completed and launched as part of the “Handshake benefits”.
If launched, there is no doubt that the Port will create thousands of jobs for the millions of unemployed youths in Kisumu while at the same time adding flesh to the handshake concept whose full acceptance by the people of Nyanza has been look-worm.
The Handshake and lack of consultation
The Handshake surprised many Luos because it came at a time when the NASA brigade was mark-timing to split up the country following the third stealing of Raila Odinga’s presidency by the “Deep state” controlled by Kikuyu billionaires like Jimmy Wanjigi.
Since Raila did not consult his supporters ahead of the Handshake and given that more than 400 Luos lost their lives during the tumultuous Anti-Jubilee struggle, the collaboration of Raila Odinga with Uhuru’s regime was initially viewed as a significant betrayal of the people by Raila.
Worse still, the Handshake came at a time when Raila Odinga had just been sworn in as the “People’s President”. After his coronation, the least that supporters expected was an abrupt turn-around to work with Uhuru especially at a time when the NASA-NRM soldiers were busy with plans to convert the County Assemblies into “Peoples Assemblies”. This situation explains why the Handshake was received lackadaisically by the NASA-NRM compatriots.
Indeed, it has taken both Uhuru and Raila at least two years to make a concrete visit to Kisumu because there has been nothing to show for the Handshake.
Now, with the Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium in the works; Phase one of Uhuru Market nearing completion; Oginga Odinga Sports Ground refurbished and renamed to honour Jaramogi and the Kisumu Port project actively under construction, the Handshake has come of age. Time was indeed ripe for the Uhuru-Raila visit to Kisumu to prove that the Handshake is not a farce.
Waiting for President Raila Odinga
Despite the Uhuru trip to Kisumu which appears to have been well-received and despite the looming mega-projects shooting up across Kisumu city, the “icing on the cake” is what will, no doubt keep anticipation alive.
Almost every Luo in Kenya is waiting for the day when the Handshake will finally translate into a Raila Odinga Presidency in 2022 regardless of whether or not Uhuru becomes the new Prime Minister.
If Raila does not become President at the end of Uhuru tenure, then the development projects (however massive) will be seen by Luos as the greatest farce to have been witnessed in Luo Nyanza in living memory.
After Raila Odinga’s Presidency was stolen in 2007, 2013 and 2017 elections, the worst nightmare in Luo-land is for Raila to be cheated a fourth time by Uhuru Kenyatta by being taken for a ride after being trapped in a fake Handshake.
2022 is still two years away. However, the political relationship between Raila and Uhuru together with the consistent political attenuation of Deputy President William Ruto’s supporters is probably the most unambiguous indication that the Handshake will translate into “President Raila Amolo Odinga” once the 2022 ballot is cast.
Kenneth Ochieng
