Political commentator Njonjo Kihuria has asked Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga to stop his supporters who go overboard in their praises for him.
While admitting that the former Prime Minister has an unapologetic mass of fanatical following from a certain constituency, Kihuria opined some of his followers are 'borderline blasphemous'.
The veteran journalist said it was in order for Raila's followers to give him various high-sounding nicknames, but it was improper for them to praise him excessively.
"While there is nothing wrong with some of them nicknaming him ‘Baba’ or in using any other glorification upon him, they should not do it to the point of sounding and looking like imbeciles. They should not be seen to perceive their leader as eternal," Kihuria stated in an opinion piece published by the Star on Sunday.
He singled out the memorial service of the late Kibra MP Ken Okoth where he accused Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja of giving Raila undue praise, and the recent incident where Reggae DJ Kriss Darlin knelt before the ODM boss.
He opined Raila saw nothing wrong with those antics, adding instead of 'smiling from ear to ear', he should have felt embarrassed.
The political commentator also took issue with the ODM leader for failing to raise a finger of correction whenever he is 'erroneously' referred to as ‘Prime Minister’ instead of former PM and to his wife, Ida Odinga, as ‘First Lady'.
"In the spirit of the now much-touted handshake, and despite the fact that Raila was illegally sworn-in as the people’s President (whatever that means), he and his wife should correct public speakers who refer to them by these names," he wrote.
"He should respect “my younger brother’s” wife by pointing out that Margaret Kenyatta is actually Kenya’s First Lady. Maybe that way, some of us would start believing that the handshake was indeed genuine," Kihuria added.