This archive report was first published on 17 November 2019.
On November 17, 2019, Raila Odinga, the ODM supremo, delivered a masterful performance in the Kibra by-election, defeating Deputy President William Ruto's candidate, MacDonald Mariga, in a landslide victory.
The Kibra parliamentary seat had fallen vacant after the death of MP Ken Okoth from cancer, and several party kingpins, including Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetangula, saw an opportunity to challenge Odinga's dominance.
However, Odinga's choice of candidate, Bernard Imran Okoth, the brother of the late Ken Okoth, proved to be a shrewd move. Okoth was a Kibra native, born and raised in the area, and was known for his hard work, honesty, and commitment to the community.
ODM's decision to back Okoth was a no-brainer, as he was the obvious choice to benefit from his brother's sympathy vote. Moreover, Odinga's endorsement of Okoth sent a clear message that Kibra was his 'bedroom,' and that outsiders were not welcome.
Deputy President Ruto's decision to field Mariga as the Jubilee candidate was a surprise move, but it ultimately backfired. Ruto's attempt to embarrass President Uhuru Kenyatta by running a candidate in Kibra was seen as a fool's errand, and Kenyatta's decision to instruct his Kikuyu lieutenants to campaign for Odinga's candidate further exposed Ruto's isolation.
The Kibra by-election was a harbinger of things to come, as it exposed the divisions within the opposition and the weakening grip of Deputy President Ruto. Odinga's victory was a testament to his political acumen and his ability to navigate the complex web of Kenyan politics.
As Odinga himself said, 'it was my bedroom, stupid!' The message was clear: Kibra was Odinga's territory, and outsiders were not welcome.
