There has been talk of Cord leader Raila Odinga being installed a Kalenjin elder even when he comes from a different community – the Luo. Whether a Luo man can become a Kalenjin elder and at the same time retain his Luo status should not be the big issue here. The issue people have been discussing is whether Raila earned status or he allowed himself to be cheated.
However, after listening to analysts, it is evident that the Cord leader was cheated and demeaned in an event that was supposed to raise him in rank. See why the installation doesn’t count:
1. It was second installation of the title
A Kalenjin elder can be installed only once. Any subsequent attempts will be counted as null and void once an elder one won’t need to become a different category of an elder. Raila was previously named a Kalenjin elder. He was even given the name Arap Mibei. Therefore the recent event was done while everyone knew it would not count. There must have instead been another reason why they insisted to go ahead with it all the same.
2. Raila was dressed in baboon skin
Raila was made to dress in a baboon skin instead of the customary colobus monkey skin. According to Ainabkoi MP Samuel Chepkonga, this was derogatory especially to a leader of Raila’s stature.
"Installation of any leader as Kalenjin elder is a sacred affair. It is done after meticulous preparations by selected elders. We were surprised to watch Raila being dressed with a baboon skin instead of the tradition colobus monkey skin. It was derogatory," he said.
3. Raila was reduced by being given female belt
Once he was ready for the ceremony, Raila was given a belt to wear. Little known to him was the fact that they had given him a belt worn by women after giving birth! Did it mean that the elders were installing him into a Kalenjin woman? And what happens to a woman from another community who joins the Kalenjin community? The only possibility of this occurring is through marriage, and the event could mean that Raila has politically been married to be under the Kalenjin rule.
4. Kalenjin elder denied installing Raila
The trick was well prepared as those who presided over it ae said to have had no authority to install an elder. In other words, Raila was given wrong elders and a fake title. Chepkonga says that when he called a ‘real’ elder to shed light on the matter, he denied being aware of it.
"When I heard the former PM was being installed as an elder, I called Kalenjin council of elders official John Seii who told me he was not aware of such a ceremony," Chepkonga said.
Should Raila hit back? Should he continue being a ‘Kalenjin elder’?