Imanyara joins forces with Odinga

Imanyara, who immediately became the forum’s deputy patron said he wanted to work with reformists like Odinga who are ‘the face of Kenya’/MUTHONI NJUKI

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 18 – Prime Minister Raila Odinga has tapped Imenti Central Member of Parliament Gitobu Imanyara into his presidential campaign lobby group – the Friends of Raila (FOR A).

Imanyara, who immediately became the forum’s deputy patron said he wanted to work with reformists like Odinga who are ‘the face of Kenya’.

“I am very happy to be part and parcel of forces across the tribal divide, forces bringing members of various political parties who are convinced that Kenya is indeed ready for change and who are persuaded that when President Kibaki retires in a few months time the torch bearer of the new Kenya ought to be none other than Raila Odinga,” Imanyara explained.

Odinga said that he was ready to work with Imanyara as his deputy patron of the FORA group.

“Recently, the Kenya Army joined the United Nations force (which includes) Uganda, Djibouti and Burundi and re-hated to the blue hat of UN in AMISON (African Union Mission in Somalia). Imanyara now is being re-hated to the FORA team, I now fully accept him as my Deputy Patron of FORA,” said Odinga.

He praised Imanyara’s virtues, saying that he was in the forefront of the second liberation of Kenya in the 1980s and 90s together with other ‘Young Turks’ who fought gallantly for expansion of democratic space in the country.

Odinga added that despite persecution by the then government Imanyara joined progressive forces to fight for the rights of the ordinary Kenyan. “It is this resourcefulness and sheer determination that we want to tap in to complete the mission we set out to achieve,” he said.

He continued to say that Kenya needs reformists to grow the country to greater levels in achieving its Vision 2030.

“As Kenyans we know the pain we went through to get this Constitution; that is why we must get reform minded people to implement it, lest we go back to a similar situation like in the 1960s when the independent Constitution was mutilated resulting in a centralised authoritarian regime.”

FORA Secretary General Eluid Owalo said they hoped Imanyara’s inclusion would help to woo the over one million votes from Meru region.

“Through Meru we are likely to bring slightly over one million votes in your basket, to help us in this agenda we need the able support of pro-reformist like Gitobu Imanyara,” Owalo said.

  • mugambi John.

    We Meru People do not subscribe to the heard mentality like lakeside guys,,, I doubt even Imanyaras wife will support Fora or whatever it is…Fora stands for everything we Hate but you can bring your cheap cash we EAT….

  • Joel Wakayima

    Change agents around the EA region should be following political developments in Kenya with keen interest. Obviously, Imanyara’s connection with Raila through FORA is a phenomenon. Advocates of change remember Imanyara to have stood his ground during Museveni’s sham election which he denounced as not free and fair. Among the observers from the EA region, Dr. Imanyara stood alone to tell the truth about the vote thuggery by Museveni and his cohorts.

  • Pratt

    Hon. Gitobu Imanyara decision to join merchants of deceit is likely to turn to a serious miscalculation. Thats not strange given that all fellows wearing fake reform stickers have always been overwhelmed by propaganda from these lying merchants. Obviously, its within Mr. Imanyara’s right to choose. However, we hold the view that this matter of reform is not there on the part of deceitful merchants. Whats there is a deliberate agenda to victimize a certain community once some one purportedly assumes office. There is indeed solid evidence to show that these guys, masquerading as reform agents, are no more than bitter people hell-bent on punishing one community. That empty bitterness and sheer jealousy is being falsely fronted as reform agenda, is not in doubt at all. After all, in 5 long long years, if some one had any agenda for reform would have, at least, put some efforts towards that end. However, what we have had in these long long years, are mere set of well sounding words that are backed by vacuum! This is the situation that has pertained to close to over 30 years now. No achievements at all, but mere conman traits ever on display! Reformers cant be that stationery surely. Furthermore, when reformers assume high offices, they quickly put their reform agendas in full swing! We cant endure a situation whereby some conmen purport to set the pace for the whole country. Needless to say, of late, we have witnessed some of these conmen eating their own vile propaganda. That was seemingly meant to set the pace for us. Justice Omollo’s saga and the shuttle diplomacy, that was roundly condemned by merchants of deceit, are very good examples, whereby the country was forced to follow blind people. First, someone set the country alight trying to pave the way for Omollo to become the Chief Justice of the Republic. It then took only a few days to establish that Omollo was not even fit to hold his former judicial job! And before that , all manner of propaganda had been visited on the country. Needless to say, to this day, those who caused delay in implementing the constitution never apologized to us for their misplaced adventures. The shuttle diplomacy was also another issue that was used to hold the country hostage. Infact, the character and judgement of a top government official was seriously questioned and even dented. Nevertheless, a few months later, same same merchants of deceit, who went flat out to tarnish the name of one of Kenya’s best sons, suddenly started showing clear signs of admitting that shuttle diplomacy was indeed a very good idea. That was of course, too late in the day! UN had already dismissed our petition and the matter at stake taken to ICC. Our brothers now have to be at the mercy of foreign forces, courtesy of our short-sighted illogical creatures. And if people aspiring to be president can make these kind of blind judgements and quickly embrace what they even violently opposed only the other day, what kind of president would they be anyway? And can Kenyans trust such empty heads? My friend Hon. Gitobu Imanyara is now telling us this is what we should do! While I seriously dont foresee him even winning his seat, my advise to him is to tread carefully. Leadership cant be pegged on fictitious feats and usurped achievements. Reform, thats supposed to transform the lives of Kenyans, must be based on concrete deeds and not mere desire to punish others. That business acumen of some of our folks is being targeted as one of the so called historical injutices, is no longer in doubt at all. Kenyans are not going to elect anyone, including Imanyara himself, because of singing only empty reform songs. They need real action that will put more food on their tables. They are not going to elect anybody for laying false claim on ownership of multiparty and constitution. Kenyans are the true owners of these two things. Hon. Imanyara should thus prepare himself to be another shouting activist in the streets of Nairobi. Perhaps, he should rejoin Nairobi Law Monthly were he performed pretty well!

    • Mazzdark

      Pilipili usioila…….