So what if ‘people’s president’ oathed?

Apparently, Raila Odinga is so obsessed with this swearing-in business that, on Christmas Day, he was the only one talking politics when everybody else was at home with their families or in church with their God.

But wait a minute, what is the big deal should he go ahead and swear himself in as the “people’s president” (whatever that means)?

Raila reminds me of a story told to me by my friend and colleague Barrack Muluka. It is about a cowboy who frequented his favourite pub on horseback.

He’d tether his animal outside and proceed to the bar counter to enjoy his tipple. As he got sloshed, he’d bang the table and shout for everyone to hear: “The day anybody will dare touch my horse, you will know what I can do!”

VANISHED

One day, some chap decided to call the cowboy’s bluff. He quietly untethered the horse and vanished with it as the later enjoyed his hooch inside.

When the cowboy rose to leave, he walked out to find his horse missing. Not knowing what to do, he took a long breath and vanished into thin air.

The next time he came to the pub, the barman waited until he was tipsy and then asked him: “By the way, Mr Cowboy, what happened that day when you found somebody had disappeared with your horse?” He took an even deeper breath and replied: “I walked home.”

Those in power should just call Raila’s bluff and let him swear himself in. Like the cowboy, he’ll just go back to his Karen home and wake up the following day to realise there’s a President in Kenya. As for him, he will still be former Prime Minister and party leader of ODM, Nasa, NRM and any other political invention he’ll come up with.

RELEVANT

But Raila is a master political tactician. He knows he won’t be President even if he swears himself in tomorrow. But by merely threatening to do so, or actually doing it, he’ll have achieved his only purpose — remain politically relevant.

Whenever he senses he isn’t being taken seriously or there is a crisis in his political house, he creates some drama — to be ‘felt’.

That can come in the form of some lengthy ‘pilgrimage’ abroad to return to a dramatic and noisy “homecoming”, the ‘Baba-while-you-were-away’ thing. Or he gives a date for a “major announcement” or an ultimatum to be talked to.

With the “swearing-in” project, Raila has already scored big — thanks to the warning by Attorney-General Githu Muigai that he risks arrest and prosecution for treason with a possible death sentence. That is the sort of thing Raila loves to hear.

I am sure he is even frustrated that the President and his deputy have so far not bothered to respond to his threat. He would have loved to see them do so publicly.

AUTHORITY

That way, he scores brownie points in proving that he is their ‘equal’. Remember when he was so miffed that National Assembly Majority Leader Adan Duale had “dared reply to him when it is Uhuru and Ruto who should do so”?

Prof Muigai did what my friend Joseph Kaguthi, a seasoned administrator of repute, told me: When in a position of authority, never issue a threat you have no intention of carrying out.

The AG knows that even if Raila swore himself in nobody will arrest him, let alone prosecute or hang him. The warning only gave Raila the cannon fodder he needed to call the State’s bluff and come out the hero “they” wanted to hang but feared.

Why is Raila so desperate as to resort to such theatrics? Because he knows he is staring at his political sunset. Foremost, he had promised his voters “Canaan”. It never came, even when many, including his supporters, thought he was firing his last bullet. So here he is, with no Canaan and holding onto an empty cartridge. He must keep his cult-like followership hoping.

PRESIDENCY

Raila knows his Nasa co-principals are not likely to play second fiddle again and let him make a stab at the presidency. In this year’s elections, Kalonzo Musyoka grudgingly agreed to be running mate yet an alleged 2013 MoU said he would be the flagbearer. It will be tough luck to convince him to give way yet again.

There is also Musalia Mudavadi, who actually coined the word Nasa and worked hard to make it a reality. Many Kenyans, even outside Nasa, feel he should be the man on the ballot come 2022. Will he let go? And who said Moses Wetang’ula has no ambition?

The bubble is likely to burst. The grumbling over parliamentary committee and Eala slots sharing is a clear sign of things to come.

Meanwhile, it is hail to the chief, “H. E. the People’s President” Raila Odinga.

Mr Ngotho is a veteran journalist. [email protected].