By Anderson Ojwang
Senator Moses Otieno Kajwang is a man in two worlds.
The Homa Bay senator’s soul is in the Linda Mwananchi, where it belongs, finds peace, love and harmony—the Linda Mwananchi of his Senate colleague Edwin Sifuna, Siaya Governor James Orengo and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino.
Kajwang’s body is in the ODM by virtue of the party that gave him a political life after the death of his elder brother, the late Senator Gerald Otieno Kajwang.
Similarly, his body is in ODM because of the long relationship between the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga family and the Kajwang-Nyakwamba family.
But with the unfolding political climate, Kajwang has developed a delicate balancing act, pleasing all the sides whenever they are together.
It’s just a matter of time before Moses changes camp to arrive in Canaan.
Siaya Governor James Orengo, at a funeral in Kasipul, moved a step to explain Kajwang’s dilemma and said that they share a similar agenda.
“ Kajwang says everything perfectly, but when it comes to the answer, he gives a wrong one. He has the hardware and the software. If you give Kajwang the hardware and software for the programme, the only problem he will give you the opposite answer,” he said.
But Kajwang responded, saying the political differences were merely issues of hardware and software, which should not divide the Luo community.
“We must focus on the software of the nation. We have differences on whether to prioritise hardware or the software,” he said.
He said the slight differences should not be turned into hatred and enmity in the Luo community.
“We have slight differences on whether we should go one term or two terms. Personally, I am in the two-term movement, but that does not make me fight Orengo.
“Personally, I am with Dr Oburu Oginga, but that doesn’t stop my friendship with James Orengo, to whom I am a son.
“Personally, I am in ODM, and the last time I checked, Babu Owino was still a member of ODM.
“There is no reason why we should be killing each other and creating a sense of confusion and commotion in Luo land,” he said.
He said the allies of Oburu and Orengo’s differences were on hardware and software, and they each need one another to survive.
“For Oburu’s allies and Orengo’s brigades, the difference is only hardware and software.
“Hardware cannot run without the software, and software cannot run without hardware. We want to encourage Orengo and Babu; let us find a convergence,” he said.
Condemn
Kajwang said Homa Bay people were peaceful and did not encourage violence.
“Homa Bay is usually peaceful and welcoming. Jim, you have been my senior, and you taught us something in the Senate: that I may not disagree with you, but I will defend to death your right to say it.
“We might have slight disagreements politically, but I will defend your right to state your case,” he said.
Kajwang wondered why the Luo community was fighting and butchering itself.
“Ask why the Luos are fighting among themselves and what are we fighting over to the point of killing one another for?
“We are all in politics. Babu is looking for power to become the Nairobi governor, and we too are looking for power with Oburu Oginga.
“We are in politics in pursuit of power. It is to help our people and deliver justice to our people,” he said.
Apology
Recently, in Kakamega, Kajwang offered an apology to Sifuna, the Luhya community and Kenyans over the violence in Homa Bay during the Linda Mwananchi rally.
In Homa Bay, MP Opondo Kaluma warned against and banned the use of the words “one term”, terming them provocative to violence.
The Homa Bay MP recently received summons from the National Cohesion and Integration Commission to help in the investigation into the last weekend’s events.
“Let nobody say there is Linda Mwananchi. As a region, we are firmly behind Ruto.
“If you come to Homa Bay, do not come to abuse President William Ruto. The words ‘one term’ are provocation to violence for people in Homa Bay. Don’t provoke our people. If you want to give Homa Bay joy, say ‘two term’. That is where Baba left us,” he said.
Kajwang, while in Kakamega, publicly apologised to Kenyans and Linda Mwananchi over the violence that was witnessed in Homa Bay.
“I must, as the leader of the people of Homa Bay, bear political responsibility for the acts of omission and acts of commission of last Sunday. Goons have no place in contemporary Kenya. What happened in Homa Bay last Sunday?” he said.
Kajwang said the gains that the country has achieved in the democratic process cannot be violated by a section of leaders.
“I want to make it very clear that this is not the position of the Luo community. That is not the position of the ODM party.
“This ODM party, Edwin Sifuna has been the secretary for the last nine years.
“There is nowhere in our ideology where we say we are going to zone Kenya and we are going to prevent other Kenyans from accessing other parts of Kenya,” he said.
Kajwang criticised those behind last Sunday’s violence and asked the government to act.
“We cannot commit the same injustices that have been committed upon us. That is why I offer an unconditional apology. We take responsibility for whatever was committed and omitted,” he said.
