Former President Daniel Moi's press secretary Lee Njiru has poured cold water on ODM leader Raila Odinga’s bid to become the next African Union Commission chairman.
Njiru, in a meeting with Mombasa journalists on Wednesday, said the position, if Raila lands it, will have no tangible benefits for Kenyans.
“That is for Kenya’s glorification. It is too much heat without light,” Njiru said.
His statement came a day after Kenya unveiled the candidature of its former Prime Minister for the seat, at a colourful ceremony led by President William Ruto at State House Nairobi, graced by several East African Community heads of state.
Ruto said Raila enjoys a positive reputation as a zealous Pan-African, who has consistently demonstrated strong faith in Africa's possibilities, and exemplary commitment to the cause of laying a robust foundation for Africa’s transformation.
Raila said he is ready to serve Africa.
“My heart is ready, my hands are steady and with your support, I shall get the opportunity to be of service to Africa, the cradle of mankind. I am made in Eastern Africa for Africa,” he said.
But on Wednesday, Njiru said Kenya is too late in terms of participation in regional and international organisations.
He said smaller countries like Chad, Togo, Senegal, Cameroon and others have had people heading key regional and international bodies.
“What was Kenya doing all that time? The leaders of Kenya concentrated on looking for plots and deals which were steeped in corruption like selling to us expired sugar and fake fertilisers. But now we are opening our eyes,” he said.
He said the big question, should Raila clinch the seat, is “What will we benefit?”
He said Africa has been talking about Pan Africanism since the time of Julius Nyerere, Muammar Gadafi and Kenneth Kaunda, without being united.
He said Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni only feared to mention names during the launch of Raila’s bid, but founding Kenyan president Mzee Jomo Kenyatta was not a Pan-Africanist.
“Why did he fear (mentioning his name)? Jomo Kenyatta said himself he did not want that talk of Pan-Africanism. Alisema kila mtu akule na bakuli yake hata kama ni ndogo (Let everyone eat from their own plate, even if it is small),” Njiru said.
He said scholars like PLO Lumumba have brilliant, eloquent speeches about Africa’s unity, but that has been elusive.
The different currencies, different languages, different national anthems, make Africa disunited, he said.
“If you have all these different currencies and languages then even if Raila becomes chairman of the AUC, it is meaningless if we are not united,” Njiru said.
He said the West will never allow Africa to be united because it will not benefit them.
“Sometimes it pains us, the people who would like to see Africa united. If you fly from Boston to Honolulu, an 11-hour nonstop flight, you will still be in the same country.
“But here you have to be bothered in Ethiopia. ‘Where is your passport?’. Senegal, ‘Where is your passport?’ Tunisia? Passport. Egypt? Passport. Then how do you unite?”
Njiru said some nationals from Africa do not want to be associated with Africa.
“ I heard Hosni Mubarak, say in Cairo during a conference, that Egypt is prepared to work with Africa because he thinks he is not in Africa and then Morocco is busy looking for membership of European Union,” Njiru said.
He reiterated that all talk about Pan-Africanism and African unity is heat without light.
“We shall get nowhere because what is the need of talking? Museveni is talking about unity. Our President Ruto is talking about unity. Then why don’t you unite?
“Because the white people are supplying Africa with guns. When they supply Kenya with guns, military tanks, fighter jets, bullets, are they giving us those to fight Britain, Germany, Russia? It is to fight ourselves,” he said.
