[Photo/ The Standard]
Instead of campaigning to become the president of Kenya, NASA presidential candidate Raila Odinga is just obsessed with fighting the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).His fight against the electoral body, which oversees elections in Kenya, did not start yesterday. As journalist Gordon Opiyo notes, Raila started throwing tantrums about the commission in 2012. He issued several threats until he was finally allowed to personally select the chairman and CEO of IEBC. “Isaac Hassan (former IEBC chairman) was a personal friend (of Raila) and very close associate of Raila's PS Mohammed Isahakia,” Mr Opiyo says in a social media post. “(IEBC) CEO James Oswago comes from Bondo District and was Raila's eyes in IEBC,” he adds. Despite handpicking the two senior IEBC officials, Raila still lost the 2013 presidential election. In keeping up with the classic Raila, the ODM leader did not take blame for running a poor campaign, which did not have any message of hope for a future Kenya: he blamed the top election officials for his humiliating defeat. He forgets that the work of election officials is to count votes cast and announce the results as people cast their ballots. He immediately started a campaign to remove James Oswago and Isaac Hassan from the commission. He went to great lengths, including threatening to boycott the 2017 general election, to ensure the two officials were kicked out of IEBC. At the moment, Raila is going after newly appointed IEBC CEO Ezra Chiloba, a youthful professional from Western. “You can be sure that after Chiloba goes, he will go for (IEBC chairman Wafula) Chebukati, and after Chebukati, he will go for Chiloba's replacement. After chasing Chiloba replacement, he will go for Chebukati's replacement........ Until Oburu (Odinga) is appointed Chairman and his son CEO. That's when he will say...Sawa Sawa,” blogger Opiyo says. When you see Raila engaging in sideshow fights against IEBC, it tells you that he not confident he stands a chance against President Uhuru Kenyatta. He is looking for excuses. Raila seems to be unaware that the votes are with the people, and not IEBC. It’s the people of Kenya who he must convince to back his bid. His lack of development agenda for the country may be the reason he is not interested in focusing on campaigns. Just like the President said early last week, NASA has just sensed defeat.