By Anderson Ojwang
He is smooth, and sleek with no foot prints to trace but indeed the main player behind the curtains.
The bulldozer and mover but non-controversial.
His innocent looks are often misconstrued as a weakness but in actual sense, it is where his strength lies and is hidden.
He is a man with nine lives, a story within a story.
He is invincible in the political limelight where politicians love to be recognized and to identify with the public, but his amiable presence tells of his importance to the masters.
He talks less and only when it is important and necessary but he has remained the propeller of events.
The mover and pusher.
The master schemer per excellence.
A fighter with no fear.
A champion least recognized but adored and appreciated by those within his ranks.
The tall and ever smiling with a deep voice that once vibrated in most of Kenyans homes.
Meet former Rarieda MP, former cabinet minister and former Jubilee Secretary General and a respected Journalist, Mr. Raphael Tuju.
The stone, that was once rejected but has become a pillar in the community dispensation pulling the ropes from behind the scenes and indeed the rock of the moment.
“In my younger years, I worked as a Television Producer with several documentary films to my credit and earning the distinction of being the first TV Producer in Africa to win an International Emmy award for a TV production.
I mainly addressed health and human development issues in my communication career with HIV/AIDS and Gender Empowerment being the main subject matter and in which I am credited with some of the major groundbreaking marks in Kenya,” he once said about his achievement as a journalist.
In 2002, Tuju was elected as a member of parliament (MP) for Rarieda constituency in the December 2002 parliamentary elections.
He served until 2007 and managed to promote the education sector in the region by building new classrooms.
He also implemented a major water project for the Rarieda people and introduced an innovative mobile hospital to reduce infant mortality as a result of malaria and HIV/AIDS.
Tuju witnessed the construction of tarmac road and the distribution of electricity to several institutions and homes in the area, leaving an inedible mark.
He is particularly remembered for his bravery when he sensibly warned the European governments during the 29th Asillah cultural festivals held in Morocco in 2007 for establishing policies which deprive African Development through trade partnership.
Tuju was awarded the second highest civilian title in Kenya, E.G.H. (Elder of the Golden Heart) by President Mwai Kibaki for his many years of service to the people of Kenya in the area of health, human development and public service.
Currently, Tuju is least understood and under estimated by majority but he is the cog in Raila’s political dispensation.
In most of Raila’s high profile meetings, he will appear among the crowd but remains the force behind the scenes.
While Siaya leaders have been skinning themselves in funerals and other public fora over broad based government, Tuju has taken to his silence and only appeared at the stage in Statehouse.
During the meeting between President William Ruto and leaders from Siaya and where those who had chance to speak before the president took several minutes to speak, Tuju took the least minute and delivered a powerful speech.
“I want to request the people of Siaya that there is something we should not take for granted, in this country.
That is peace and stability that enables us to even talk about the development agenda that we have here today.
And I like to congratulate his Excellency, the President and of course congratulate Prime Minister Raila Odinga for the very possible positive step that the two of them have taken to make us be where we are today.
I don’t take it for granted because, because I know out of the 10 failed states in the whole world, six are in our region.
So, it is very easy for us to make a lot of noise and to say a lot of things in funerals. Please this is a window of opportunity.
Let focus,” he said.
Tuju in his usual mien has kept everyone guessing about his next political move with other proposing that he becomes the next Siaya Governor in the 2027 general elections while others want him to be the heir apparent to Raila and be rewarded with a senior position in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party.
Sources have revealed that Raila is comfortable with Tuju and in him he believes the community is in safe hands and that the Luo stand to gain in all fronts.
“So much is happening behind the scenes and Tuju is the man to watch.
He may just end up as the heir apparent.
He is very unpredictable and that is what makes him the best candidate to lead the community forward.
His honesty, truthfulness, simplicity are some of the virtues that have made Jakom to develop soft spot for him.
Watch the space.
It is just a matter of when and not how,” said our sources.
EDITED BY: HOPE BARBRA
