When the independent party, KANU, won elections in 1963 Jaramogi Oginga Odinga refused to form government till Jomo Kenyatta who had been detained in 1952 was released.
The British colonial masters had zero options but to bow to pressure which culminated in the release of Kenyatta who thereafter formed the first black majority government with him as the Prime Minister.
After Kenya became a republic in 1964, Kenyatta became the country's first president with Jaramogi as his vice president. The two were, however, to fallout two years later widely because of ideological differences. While Kenyatta was a staunch capitalist, his second in command was pro-communist.
With that, Jaramogi was to play opposition politics the rest of his life till his death in 1994. However, the role that Jaramogi played in the release of Kenyatta should never be forgotten. If what he did wasn't selfless and noble, then I don't know what it is.
It is often said that he who knows not where he is coming from, doesn't know where he is going to. The issue of political debts, betrayal and broken memoranda of understanding has been a thorn in the flesh of this country.
Today, 2022 succession debate is on high gear as Mt Kenya voters are constantly reminded to honour the so-called UhuRuto 2013 pre-election pact. Fair enough. If that is what informs who becomes president in 2022, then we have no option but to go back to the books of history.
He who wants to pay debt must start with the old one. Mt Kenya voters owe it to the late Jaramogi and his son Raila Odinga for the release of Kenyatta and Kibaki's rise to power in 2003 respectively.
The current political calmness and stability the country is enjoying today can also be widely credited to Raila who accepted to forgo his political ambitions to work with President Uhuru. Without it, the much talked about 2022 political debt would have remained a pipe dream.
In short, if 2022 is about who owes who what, then Mt Kenya voters will perfectly be in order to first clear their old political debts. Alternatively, the issue of political debts should be left altogether and in unison, the country says 'let bygones be bygones'.
#hivisasaoriginal