Micah Kigen, the former Chairman of FORA (Friends of Raila) lobby which was among the earliest lobby groups to start early campaigns for Raila’s 2013 presidential bid has revealed how Eliud Owalo destroyed FORA once he became the head of Raila Odinga presidential secretariat. “Owalo was a quack from day one. He had been brought in by the same people he was now claiming were hunting him down… ostensibly to destroy Fora and other lobby groups,” says Kigen, a veteran political lobbyist. As the head of the Odinga campaign secretariat, Owalo ensured numerous small groups formed lobbies which they promised to fund but many which only became pyramid schemes to swindle funds from Odinga campaign kitty. For FORA, Kigen was dismissed as Owalo and group installed Jaoko Oburu, the son to Raila’s brother Dr. Oburu Oginga, to run the outfit. “FORA had been strong and was already on the ground. We had captivated more young people, ” “There is a perception that Raila Odinga never funded his campaigns well. This perception is wrong. Too many people took advantage of Odinga’s trust to enrich themselves. Money was being released but these people pocketed all of it,” he adds. “Many independent-minded people became victims of Owalo and company. They messed up Odinga. At that time he (Raila) could not sack him as our opponents may have interpreted it as panic in ODM, but this guy rendered ODM/CORD campaigns ineffective,” reveals Kigen. In his Facebook account when the news of Owalo exit first came out, Kigen bluntly asked Owalo what “services” he was offering to ODM/CORD. “Am wondering which services were you rendering cord coalition and its leadership?confusion and infighting was the services?causing coalition the presidency was the services?stealing jakom campaign money was the services? Cheating jakom and misadvising him was services?bringing confusion during campaigns was that services?then use another term not withdrawal but you have been cornered and you have no where to hide BWANA OWALO now is your time to be sauced”. Asked whether Raila Odinga still has a chance in 2017 to arrive at State house, Kigen was affirmatively emphatic. “Why not? This Jubilee government will collapse soon. It is just one year and you can see how the digital hogwash it poured to the masses is fast fading. Reality is sinking in in very clear security and economic ways. Kenyans may be gullible but not twice” To Kigen, as people like Owalo leave Jakom, his true followers will soon regroup. “Raila is still the only politician these Jubilee Alliance fear. They dismiss him during the day but are each day holed up planning for ways to put him down. He is their singular threat”. Kigen also thinks the Kasarani “botched” polls will make the Orange party emerge stronger and united. The Jubilee hand in it was too open for all to see. “Had that election been carried on and Ababu’s group wins, they (media + Jubilee Alliance) would have screamed that Raila is losing ground, or the party has slipped away. He rescued the party,” says Kigen.
Posted on: Fri, 07 Mar 2014 19:13:47 +0000
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