Otieno Kajwang’ is dead, but struggle continues

The late Otieno Kajwang and Dennitah Ghati address a past press conference at a Nairobi hotel. PHOTO | PHOEBE OKALL | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • So, what was Kajwang’s struggle? The National Development Party, Liberal Democratic Party, Orange Democratic Movement and Coalition for Reforms and Democracy, all of which he served loyally, are left-of-centre unions espousing social democracy.
  • Mr Odinga will miss Kajwang’ for the departed Homa Bay Senator would have taken a bullet for him. To some, this was loyalty; to others this was sycophancy.

Otieno Kajwang’ is dead, long live mapambano! When then Mbita MP began to sing the now emblematic “bado mapambano” chorus in 2007, a rival legislator colleague asked: “kwani anapambana na nani, kwa nini? (Who is he fighting with, why?) And therein lies the mistake.

By that tune, Kajwang’ was declaring that the struggle (aluta), which he embraced in his college days, continues (continua).

When he was in Kiambu, just hours before his death, Kajwang’, speaking in his capacity as chairman of the Senate Transport Committee, told a gathering that he and his team had visited kupambana (struggle or wrestle) with a little difficulty.

As a politician he was in it to maintain the struggle; as a senator, enforcing the Legislature’s oversight function, he was in Kiambu to ensure the struggle goes on.

SOCIAL DEMOCRACY

So, what was Kajwang’s struggle? The National Development Party, Liberal Democratic Party, Orange Democratic Movement and Coalition for Reforms and Democracy, all of which he served loyally, are left-of-centre unions espousing social democracy.

Social democrats, inter alia, believe in elimination of poverty, the greatest degree of decentralisation of decision-making and equality in provision of public and community services.

For Kajwang’, therefore, the “bado mapambano” tune served as a clarion call to a cause; the cause of realising social democracy.

For Kajwang’, the vehicle to the Promised Land of social democracy was people-based politics and people-anchored legislation.

People-based politics consists in agitating for faster delivery of services and the participation of the people in making decisions about their governance and use of their resources.

This is a serious cause (pambano). But I noticed that print editors on Thursday described Kajwang’ as a jesting, comical and controversial politician.

To call Kajwang’ a jester is to suggest that he was a fool or clown. To say he was comical is to portray him as laughable and ludicrous. In Kenya’s political parlance, to be called a controversial person or subject is not usually a sign that you are readily welcome or entertained.

But controversy is politics and politics is controversy precisely because politics is argument and debate about the resources of the land and their distribution among the people.

Politics is about the performance of government in regard to this, with government claiming success and the opposition screaming failure at it. Politics is, therefore, inter and intra mapambano among competing parties.

SUCCESFUL POLITICIAN

If Kajwang’ was controversial, then, in keeping with his pursuit of social democracy, he was a successful politician.

If he was not successful, then his death would not have caused so much outpouring of grief.

If he was not a successful politician, he would not have captured the imagination of Kenyans the way he did.

The mapambano tune, the dance steps, knowing wink here and suggestive nod there, were Kajwang’s vehicles to the hearts of Kenyans.

It is why they were reserved for the stump and why, often, Kajwang’ would be the master-of-ceremonies at political rallies. With his wit, gift of the gab, jig, joke and, of course mapambano tune, he wowed and worked up crowds and set the stage often for Mr Raila Odinga, Mr Kalonzo Musyoka and Mr Moses Wetang’ula to drive home the message of the day, week or campaign.

Was Kajwang’ destined for greater things? There is no doubt that he invested a great deal of his political stock in Mr Odinga in particular and the rise of the triumvirate of Odinga, Musyoka and Wetang’ula to power in the last General Election and the coming one.

In his last interview with a local TV station, he said that he was going to be around for a long time to come. Now that has been cut short. How will he be remembered? From where I sit, by his commitment to the struggle to make the lot of Kenyans better but, unfortunately, this may be a minority view. Most will remember “bado mapambano, mapambano, mapambano” and his political stagecraft.

Mr Odinga will miss Kajwang’ for the departed Homa Bay Senator would have taken a bullet for him. To some, this was loyalty; to others this was sycophancy.

To Kajwang’, his was loyalty to Mr Odinga and his party. As for me, Kajwang’ is dead, but the struggle continues.

Struggles evolve; their leaders come and go, but struggles continue, with new leaders and ideas and so shall the one Kajwang’ believed in.

Unfortunately, Kajwang’ has made his exit at a time when Mr Odinga needs more loyal forces around him as he battles to keep his party afloat.

RIP, Gerald Otieno Kajwang’.
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