Inside Raila's new book ' The Flame of Freedom'

Inside Raila's new book ' The flame of freedom'




By Mbugua Ngunjiri


Kenyans have not heard the last of Raila Odinga if his new book is anything to go by.

Titled The Flame of Freedom, the book, written in the first person, takes an indepth look at the former Prime Minister, right from his childhood, his life journey, family, and most importantly, his political struggles that landed him at the pinnacle of Kenya's leadership.

This book, published by Mountain Top Publishers, is likely to dominate discussions in the country for the next couple of weeks. What this latest release means is that Raila, however his critics might wish him away, is never far from the pulse of the nation.

Our sources told us that the book covers only up to campaign time for the March 2013 elections, which will be a bit of a disappointment for readers looking to know what Raila thinks about the elections, which he contested at the Supreme Court.

Raila and his supporters maintain, to this day, that the 2013 presidential election was stolen from him. He however dwells in detail on the 2007 election, which he again disputed and whose acrimonious outcome led to the post-election violence.

It is the post-election violence that currently has President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto in The Hague answering to charges of crimes against humanity.

Readers will be interested in knowing what Raila has to say about The Hague process, the ensuing investigations and former prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo, given that supporters of Uhuru and Ruto allege that he had a hand in taking the two to The Hague.

Analysts also believe the Uhuruto duo played The Hague card to their advantage, which in effect means that this is the single most contributor to Raila's loss at the last elections.

Also likely to make an interesting read is Raila's version of events during his time as Kibaki's co-principal in the coalition government. There are people who believe that Raila was a mere figurehead in that government in spite of the fact that he was supposed to be an equal partner with Kibaki.

Another controversial aspect of Raila's life is the sensitive topic of the failed 1982 coup against former President Moi's government.
It was first brought to the limelight after Nigerian scholar Babafemi Badejo wrote Raila's biography titled Raila Odinga: An Enigma in Kenyan Politics, which was released just prior to the 2007 polls.

This book placed Raila at the thick of things regarding the coup. It will therefore be interesting to know what, Raila, in his own words, has to say about this dark period in Kenya's political history.

The Flame of Freedom, is written with the help of former journalist Sarah Elderkin. Elderkin penned a series of articles, defending Raila, in the Daily Nation following the serialisation of former Raila adviser Miguna Miguna's book Peeling Back the Mask, which took an unflattering look at the current leader of CORD.

It will not escape observers that this book could be offering a rebuttal to the damage, if any, Miguna's book did to Raila's image.

The Nairobian has learnt that a number of local publishers had positioned themselves to get publishing rights for the book but it ended up with Mountain Top, whose CEO, Lawrence Njagi, is the current chairman of Kenya Publishers Association.

The very act of publishing Raila's memoirs will most likely raise the profile of Mountain Top, which specialises in the publication of early childhood books.

Standard Digital News - SDE - Entertainment - Pulse - Local News - Inside Raila's new book ' The flame of freedom'

I like. Ogwambo tongolo ngapi per mraba labour?

[h=1]Take this flame forward, former Prime Minister Raila tells youth as Olesugon Obasanjo calls for memoirs[/h]


Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga while launching his autobiography. Left is Chief Guest during the launch, former Nigerian President Olesugon Obasanjo. [Photo: Kibera Mbugua/Standard]

By GEOFFREY MOSOKU



Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga Sunday launched his 959 page autobiography which he says is dedicated to the country'€™s youths.

I have dedicated the book to the youths of Kenya; youths are like a constant river that flows to the ocean, Raila said during the launch of the book titled The Flame of Freedom.


He too, says the book is dedicated to the dream of Pan Africa which has been derailed by poverty, ignorance, disease and bad governance.


€œBut it'€™s my belief that-like the mighty River Nile as it journeys from its sources in Lake Victoria and the Abyssinian highlands , down through the lands of Sahara Desert towards its final destination in the blue waters of the Mediterranean sea-the African march to prosperity and stability is unstoppable,"€™ a excerpt from the book reads on page 958.


The ex-premier'€™s book chronicles his time from childhood to the time the served as Prime Minister of Kenya under the grand coalition.


Ironically, although the book was published after the last general election that he lost to arch-rival Uhuru Kenyatta, Raila does not dwell much into events that surrounded the formation of Cord and the struggle to overturn Uhuru's win at the Supreme Court, only hinting that €œCord ultimate fortunate, would frame a story for the future.


Chief Guest during the launch, former Nigerian President Olesugon Obasanjo hailed the Ex-PM for writing up the book and encouraged other prominent persons in Kenya to emulate him.



Obasanjo particularly encouraged, former Attorney General Charles Njonjo who had spoken before him to rescind his decision and write a book for posterity.


While speaking, the octogenarian Njonjo said unlike Raila, he has no plans to write either a biography or autobiography detailing his public life.



"€You deprive the future generation a lot when you refuse to write a book, it’s good to do it for posterity,"€ he said while giving an example of Nigeria'€™s first African AG who refused to author a book.


Obasanjo paid a glowing tribute to Raila, whom he said had sacrificed a lot in his life to ensure the country'€™s enjoys freedom whose culmination was the successful promulgation of the new constitution.

"I say leadership is like love, it can'€™t succeed without sacrifice. Any leadership that lacks sacrifice is not worthy being called leadership,"€ the former Nigerian leader added.


Former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, who was Raila'€™s running mate in the last elections, described the Cord leader as a tolerant leader who had suffered a lot for the benefit of all while Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero described Raila as a missionary of reforms.

"I know of nobody in this country who has the ability to tolerate injustice like Raila. He has had his victory stolen twice and yet tolerated it. History will judge him right,"€ Kalonzo added.


Former Nairobi mayor George Aladwa praised the book launch saying it will open the lid of the opposition leader'€™s life for all Kenyans to understand him.


"€œThis book lays bare the life and times of Raila, a man whom many seem to misunderstand but those who will read it will realise that Raila has sacrificed enough for the country,"€ Aladwa added.


Raila Odinga Junior moved the audience when he said how as a young boy, he only came to meet his father for the first time at the age of nine years when he was released from prison.


"€œI used to hear about him from my siblings and relatives and at time see his photos. I saw him for the first time when he came home at Kenya High with the media in tow and then knew who the bearded man who was hugging me was,"€ Raila Jnr added.


Caroline Wahome, daughter of late humourist and author Wahome Mutahi, encourage the youth to take up their place in national development.


In one of the excerpts, Raila revisits the day retired President Mwai Kibaki nominated albeit, unilaterally, Chief Justice, Attorney General and Director of Public Prosecutions which he opposed with Kibaki being forced to withdraw the names following a ruling by then house speaker Kenneth Marende who ruled that the nominations were unconstitutional.



"€œI fell to the Speaker to make a ruling on the matter, which he did against Kibaki. There was heated discussion in parliament and Uhuru'€™s anger at being thwarted led to one of his famous table-banging episodes. Kibaki was forced to retract the appointments. For this part in the matter Kenneth Marende was never forgiven by the PNU side and he would have no chance of retaining his seat in 2013."

Standard Digital News - Kenya : Take this flame forward, former Prime Minister Raila tells youth as Olesugon Obasanjo calls for memoirs

Obasanjo unveils Raila

RAILA should have been Kenya's President. Kenyatta isn't able to lead Kenya he's too dumb!

my simple question is where does sarah elderrkin comes from, and how come the last memoir 'the enigma of kenyan politics was not written by a kenyan.