Very few politicians in the contemporary Kenya have risen as rapidly as Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna. In less than a decade, he has evolved from a fiery party spokesman into one of the most recognizable political brands in the country. Whether one agrees with him or not, one cannot ignore him.
Today, many Kenyans see in Sifuna what Kisumu Governor Professor Anyang Nyong’o once saw when he declared that Sifuna was “built for the future.”
In his own words, Nyong’o said; “When I look at the future, I see Sifuna.” This statement is as true today as it was then.
Hon Sifuna’s greatest undoing is his loose cannon approach. He has opened so many warfronts with both the government and opposition colleagues.
Omwami’s political brand has increasingly been defined by combative rhetoric. His description of Oburu Odinga’s leadership as “mediocrity,” his declaration that Oburu should “find his own Secretary General,” and his assertion that ODM leaders “do not deserve” him illustrate a style that thrives on confrontation and blunt criticism. While his supporters may view this as courage and candor, his critics see it as abrasive and unnecessarily divisive.
However, history is replete with lessons that rapid political success can be both a blessing and a curse. It solely depends on how one handles it.
As for Sifuna, he may need to engage a fame and popularity manager going forward especially now that Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga who could have managed him with these floods of fame and popularity is no more.
Hon Sifuna’s strength is not in his young age as some of his supporters pontificate. Rather, it is in what he has steadily built over the years under the able tutelage of the late opposition doyen Raila.
Anybody selling Sifuna on the basis of his young age is belittling him. Omwami is a future political whirlwind that needs to nurture and to be nurtured for future use.
Being young is a distant qualification for presidency. And if it were, Uhuruto’s government which came to power through young age and tech savvy mantra campaigns would have been the best government ever. But here we are, courtesy of the duo.
One’s qualifications to be president should be weighed on demonstrable ability to lead, young or old. After all, the Nusu Mkate government of the old Kibaki and Raila did better than the two young presidents (Uhuru and Ruto) combined.
Omwami, Kenyans are very emotional. They will celebrate you till you go to bed. When you wake up you find them gone like birds. They will fly on you. Ask Kasmuel Mc’Oure once thought to be the late Tom Mboya incarnate or Morara Kebaso touted to be a formidable presidential candidate in 2027. They are in oblivion. You don’t need that tried, tested and failed route.
Omwami MUST NOT mistake attention for influence. Attention can be generated through controversy. Influence, however, is built through relationships, patience and trust.
A presidential candidate does not win by defeating opponents alone. He wins by persuading former opponents to become allies. This is how Raila successfully operated. He was able to work even with his former political tormentor like Kamotho, Saitoti, Kibaki, Moi and even prison warders during his incarceration.
A man who aspires to lead a nation of more than 50 million people MUST eventually become a bridge-builder, not wrecker.
Let Sifuna not be in a hurry to be president. Rome was not built in a day. But they finally built it brick by brick.
Political greatness is not a sprint; it is a marathon. Raila Odinga spent decades building a national movement from detention to opposition, MP, Prime Minister. Mwai Kibaki waited patiently for years before becoming president. The late president Moi endured a lot that are unprintable before becoming president. Even Nelson Mandela spent a lifetime preparing for his presidency, partly spending 25 years in Roben Island Prison.
The Nairobi Senator has already achieved what many politicians only dream of – national recognition. His challenge now is not to become famous. It is to become more presidential.
If he masters that lesson, Kenya may yet discover that Professor Anyang Nyong’o was right: the future may indeed look a lot like Edwin Sifuna.
The writer is a lecturer of Communication and Media, Maseno University.
