During Kenya's 53rd Jamhuri Day celebrations, Opposition leader Raila Odinga took the opportunity to send a strong message to Africa and the world, over the tendency of African leaders, in power.
He cited incidents where African presidents decline to concede defeat whenever they are voted out during elections, causing political turmoil.
Raila indicated the transfer of power, especially in West Africa in recent years, was sending signals to the rest of Africa that its citizens, who had seen and endured pain and betrayal, were marching ahead, sadder but wiser .
He said they would not allow the Continent to revert to the era of single-party dictatorship, presidents for life, unconstitutional stays in office and, the return of 'kleptocracies'.
"Africans are tired of their dreams being deferred. Africa’s Second Coming is at hand. The African renaissance is becoming a real experience. The difference between Africa’s Second Coming and the Second Liberation is that, unlike the Second Liberation, Africans themselves drive this Second Coming. It will be our third liberation,'' said Raila.
He noted Africa’s first coming was the fight for independence, where Africans were largely on their own against colonial masters.
"Then came the fight against the one party and military dictatorships, which coincided with the end of the Cold War and the fall of the Berlin Wall. It relied heavily on external pressure on incumbents to adopt transparency, accountability and good governance. This phase saw suspension of donor aid as the key tool for forcing single party dictatorships to change."
In his speech, tittled: ''Jamhuri Day - the wind of change is surely blowing'', Raila said voters were determined to minimise inequalities between ethnic, racial, religious or regional groups.
"Voters are realising that, as members of one nation, they rise or fall together and are, therefore, insisting on forging ahead together through equitable access to opportunities and services like education, health care, water, electricity and jobs,'' he said.