By Anderson Ojwang
In lorries and sugarcane trucks they arrived, crumpled like goods ready for delivery at the factories. They painted the town and the venue orange, whistling and shouting themselves hoarse.
In the sweltering and sweating sun, they patiently waited on empty stomachs and dry throats, yearning for water while their stomachs rumbled and complained irritably and constantly.
Meanwhile, the hosts converged at high-end hotels and the governor’s residence to sample the best menu for brunch.
The clinking of forks and spoons, spiced with soft laughter and pleasantries, formed the mid-morning convergence.
For as many decades, they were promised hope against hopelessness. Yesterday, once again, they were told Canaan was near and that community unity was the only path to the illusive Canaan.
For the journey to Canaan, they were given orange t-shirts, caps, vuvuzelas, whistles, a packet of milk with bread, and a small token of Sh1,000 for their service.
To spice it up, just like the Negro found healing in music to soothe their pain and suffering, the hosts applied the same trick and brought in local artists to temporarily warm hearts.
That is why every speaker invoked the spirit of the Enigma, the late Raila Amolo Odinga, the founder of the now fading Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), to continue holding the community with false hope.
No wonder Kisumu Governor Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o, who for the first time attended the function, said: “Having been there when we started the Party, I believe we honour Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga best, not by invoking his name in every argument, but by remaining faithful to the values he spent a lifetime defending. As well, a strong people are not those who speak with one voice on every issue. A strong people are those who remain united even when they disagree. We shall support what advances the interests of wananchi and oppose what undermines them.”
But the party leader, Dr Oburu Oginga, when he spoke, invoked the spirit of Raila, saying: “If the party dies, my brother Raila could come back to haunt the community and the people.”
And that is why when the crowd became rowdy and noisy and drowned his voice, Dr Oburu promised that he would give them a small token, and that is when the noise subsided.
Once again, fear and hope were sold to the vulnerable and gullible residents about why the community’s unity and being in the broad-based government were top priorities of the meeting.
Politics of rhetoric while development buried
The Kisumu Kirembe meeting was an opportune moment for the leaders and the people to discuss the economy and development of the region.
Instead, it was turned into the usual and casual political rhetoric of fault-finding against an imaginary enemy of the people – the usual whipping up of emotions and self-preservation.
The experts – John Mbadi at the Treasury, the nerve of the country’s economy, and his counterpart, the embattled Opiyo Wandayi of Energy – veered off track and instead accused former President Uhuru Kenyatta of failing to deliver the presidency to the community.
Mbadi went ahead to claim that it was not time for the lake region to have any alliance or association with Mt Kenya after decades of negating the community’s presidential pursuit.
“I started a conversation with the Luo community. But some enemies of the community were asking why Mbadi was inciting the Luos against Mt Kenya,” he said.
Wandayi said going forward he would be more politically engaged, not only in Siaya but also in Nyanza.
“We are going to move forward as one united people. We will walk together as members of the ODM party and as people belonging to this government, the broad-based government. This unity means a lot to our people,” Wandayi said.
But during the recent visit of President William Ruto to Homa Bay, he told Mbadi and Wandayi to ‘tigi wiyi’ (use your head) to fast-track development for the region.
In Mbadi and Wandayi’s speeches in Kisumu, it was purely politics, with not a single mention of development.
All the speakers served the audience the usual political rhetoric of Canaan and unity without purpose.
In the words of ODM National Chairperson Gladys Wanga, she capped it all: “The message from Kisumu is clear: we are done with fragmentation. We seek unity of purpose. We are building a formidable, united front designed to gain power, not for its own sake, but to drive the socioeconomic transformation our people deserve. Historically, our pursuit of power has been defined by resistance and rebellion. Today, we turn a historic page. We are embracing a strategy of cooperation and partnership. This is not a sign of weakness; it is the evolution of our strength. We move forward, stronger together, as one party and one people.”
In the resolution, not a mention of the community’s economic and development agenda was highlighted; only the leadership of Oburu and his team, commitment to staying in the broad-based government, and unity of the region were captured.
Indeed, in Oburu’s own words, the government released Sh200 million for the party to run its operations, and that is why the Kisumu rally was a success.
Finally, when they left crestfallen, the reality of another political ride and false hope was evident. They grappled and asked questions, with some going on to social media to question whether Sh400–1,000 was enough for the time and the scorching sun.
They wondered aloud: when shall the leadership talk about development and not politics, now that the community will not present a presidential candidate in the 2027 general elections?
