ODM supporters should shut up and let Raila do his job
By Jerry Okungu
When did the Prime Minister’s office become an employment bureau?
Are all the former ODM campaigners now shedding tears over non-existent jobs really serious? I thought they were volunteers, not job-seekers. I attended a few fund-raising dinners in Nairobi to support the party and its presidential candidate, Raila Odinga. My desire was to meet people, contribute the little I had and leave.
ODM functions were always full to capacity. It did not matter what venue was chosen: Thousands of people always turned up — at their own expense — to listen to the voices of change. Compensating each one of them would be impractical.
The few occasions I ventured to Orange House or The Pentagon, they resembled a village marketplace. People were always milling around. I often wondered what they were doing there for days on end.
ODM, I believe, received substantial contributions and fees from members and well-wishers. Rough estimates have put the figure at slightly over Sh1 billion, spent on campaign activities, including salaries for staff, think-tanks and strategists. If anyone was paid for their services, why would they cry for jobs now?
Just weeks before the General Election, I wrote an article warning ODM supporters to lower their expectations. My warning was informed by the massive following the party had cultivated. It was compounded by the fact if Raila became President, he would try to be different.
Days later, I got a rude shock when an ODM staffer called to warn me against suggesting who should be in a Raila government. The sheer number of consultants and strategists was mind-boggling, and included last-minute opportunists joining the bandwagon in the hope of a win.
These opportunists should accept that Raila is not President and stop moaning about public jobs.
The writer, a media consultant, comments on social and political issues.
8 users commented in " Are all the former ODM campaigners now shedding tears over non-existent jobs really serious? When did the Prime Minister’s office become an employment bureau? "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackI think Okungu is right on this one. I know of this former “die-hard supporter” of Raila who is right now one of his staunchest opponents. Reason?
That his brother was promised a job by Caroli Omondi and never got it. (Mind you this former “supporter” is a PhD student here in the US).
He is now so negative and bitter that I no longer share with him in our running, though sporadic, political debates. Even if Raila had become the president, wouldn’t it have been better for his government to exercise due diligence in employment matters?
This kind of mindset is what makes people support members of their own tribes even if they themselves get nothing in return for such blind support.
It is high time people supported leaders who represented their more noble interests as opposed to hoping to join “our turn to eat” bandwagon.
It is shameful to find our educated luos demanding favours because they collected some
campain money to Raila.Most these people who are now bitter that they were not considered
for employment in the coalition government are very well educated who can also create employment by starting businesses.
Employment opportunisties are just too few to be available for everybody.In any case,these jobs these people are talking about are being occupied by fellow kenyans.
This attitude of our time to eat is what has destroyed our country,kenya.Let kenyans in diaspora work hard in their fields of specialisation and create employments for themselves and other kenyans.Let them start businesses like what chinese,koreas,indians and japanese do and later transfer the technology to our beloved country ,Kenya.
In any case,the attitude protray by these people complaining is what as underdevelop our
country since the time of Kenyatta.We should change inorder to change with time.ODM’s MOTTO was change and why you supporters of ODM trying to block change?
Why you supporting the motto for selfish motive?Please,my fellow kenyans,let us be realistic and giving Raila time to do his work.
We all know that some kenyans have started to blame Raila so that PANU can give them empolyment opportunists.If this strategy of some of our people,of blaming Raila innocently
inorder to be given a job by PANU,then this strategy is selfish and opportunistic and i do
not buy it.
Mr Okungu is very right ! This group are allover, some left their well paid jobs abroad to hang’ at the PM Offices in Kenya.
Such behaviour was witnessed when PM visited USA and UK recently
These political turncoats moaned in the street of Washington DC and London, because they could not get the appointed with PM to get government appointments.
They are too frustrated that they have turn in childish witch-hunting, which will take them no where.
Some still claim the party titles such us ODM USA or ODM-UK. Instead of taking the PM advise to utilize the current political climate to invest in Kenya, they are still fighting with unknown enemy. Shame on them!
Dominic, Kore, Agai
I beg to disagree on this. The problem is not that people want Jobs. I know of a friend who earns 3.5 Million Kenya shillings million minus benefits. He is just one of the guys who really do not need jobs from Raila, what people are talking about is the issue accessability. A leader must be accessible to all not just a group.
Judstifying this idea of job bureau is like legitimising what happened to Rala body guards by Kalonzo and Kibaki bodyguards at a national celebration.
The question is not about jobs, most of the people who are complaining are guys with good jobs in EU and North America. I guess few of them want to reolcate to Kenya because Raila is a prime minister. What we are seeing now is the fact that we are unable to reach him, appointments not easy. When he visits, the body guards and the so called personal assistant are under direct instructions not to allow for any appointment. Infact recently in USA, someone who Raila knows far too well was shocked when he was told that, ”mzee amesema ajui wewe” The man was shocked and will never ever approach kkkkkkkkor go where he is.
No guys, thats not the truth. I dont buy the idea that those complaining are seeking jobs or favours. I know of a guy who was recently dinied clearance to meet with Raila while in Kenya. The person I am talking about is a professional earning 3.5M kenya shillings a month minus benefits. The fact is, before elections, he would call and talk to Raila for several minutes without any problem.
What I ma against is the idea of leaders blocking themselves from their supporters and treating them with suspicion. This is what is happening and it has got nothing to do with favours or jobs.
Do you think that we dont know waht is going on in Kenya. Other leaders are working hard, really hard by giving government tenders to their people thus improving the socio economic status of their people. Our leaders are very bad at this, its not easy to meet them.
Requesting a meeting to meet our leaders doesnt mean that one needs a job, some of the people have business plans and NGO connection to help the poor people of Nynza.
The truth is, Kisumu remains the Kisumu we all know.Those who died during clashes remains wounded forever with no programme to help them recover. Leadership is not about sitting somewhere in an exclusive club, but how a leader relates to his supporters at great time of need. I am not here to please you guys, this will come back come 2012. Its already a big issue out here and time will tell.
Charles/Jerry,
I support ODM and Raila by extension as the leader of OMD not for who they are or what they can or could have given me had they formed the government but for what they believe in…a sustainable society with freedoms,democratic rule and economic growth.
That is also what I believe in (of course apart from my religious beliefs). It saddens me to see full men and women ’supporting’ a party or its leaders for what they are likely to receive after victory.This not just in ODM but it’s happening in all political parties.Look at ODM-K for example not to mention the trouble ridden PNU dogged by the ’second project’.
My point is..it is time we developed by moving from the politics of the stomach to the politics of ideology.
We should not only let the prime minister work but let all the leaders we elected do what we elected them (Idealy) to do that is make or change policies,laws and to create an environment that gives us equal opportunities to be what we have always dreamed to be irrespective of colour,race,ethnic background or creed.
Above all I pray that we should also consider the term national outlook in our appointments to avoid lumping one region in a particular constitutional office as is evident.
Cheers like minded friends.
Paul Gol
P.O.Box 71040-00622,
Juja Road,
Nairobi, Kenya
Telephone:+254 20 2133427
Mobile(Kenya): +254722650039,Mobile (Sudan): +24910337126.
“A wise man’s heart guides his mouth,and his lips promote instruction” (Proverbs 16:23)
The notion that when you contribute to something you should expect a reward should be burried.Though some of this people burnt their intellectual enegy during the electioneering period if trully they are patriotic to their country as their acts could imply before if they were to be judged subjectively, then they could not be on the neck of Raila demanding for jobs .This then will be planting a seed of ‘cronism’ in our institutions instead of surving the interest of mwananchi.Iam aware that some people resigned from their jobs because of political wind that was blowing at a high speed,they should not torture their mind to learn that ODM members never got the full ‘cake’ therefore they couldn’t get equal pieces of the same cake . To Raila this might be an eyesore toyour political future as this are the people you will need their services in 2012 if you don’t fulfill their needs ODM may lack intellectual power and aprty without intellectual power is a dead party.
Odm should create a position which deals with its members abroad.This position should be headed by somebody senior who can reach odm leadeship with easy.It true that members in the
diaspora have for along time played a very important role which should not be ignored by
senoior leaders of the party.
There are a number of these diapora members who are businessmen and they want contact in the government inorder to secure some contracts which go to foreigners.They also want to bring in NGO for local developments.
Therefore,Raila should make sure that someone is assigned the job of connecting positively
with these diaspora members.He should not allow officials in his office bar people from listening to people. It is the work of people who made it possible to be in that office. The moment you allow your enemy to remove from the people then you are done.
You should be a ware that your enemies are not sleeping and they like to destroy your support at any opportunity.Members of diaspora is indeed one of the main supporters and you need to treat them with care.
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