Raila Odinga: Here Comes Africa's new Anglo-American imperialist hatchetman

Raila Odinga: Here Comes Africa's New Anglo-American Imperialist Hatchetman

Raila Odinga, African Union, Robert Mugabe; Zimbabwe; Morgan Tsivangirai; Land and agrarian reforms in Zimbabwe; social justice and equity; Democracy in Zimbabwe.,


There is an African saying that, fire begets cold, impotent ash. Perhaps this witticism aptly applies to Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Abongo Odinga, the son of the fire and brimstone, anti-colonialist crusader, and champion of African liberation and emancipation, and celebrated author of the anti-neocolonialist book: Not Yet Uhuru; the late Jaramogi Abongo Oginga Odinga.

We have no doubt that Oginga Sr would disagree with Oginga Jr on Zimbabwe. It is both false and errorneous for Raila Odinga to equate the national liberation and national democratic struggles in Zimbabwe, with the social and democratic struggles in Kenya, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and other African states in the throes of conflicts and violence as a consequence of neo-colonial penetration and control.

Zimbabwe won its national liberation and human equality in 1980, after a bitter armed struggle by African nationalists against the racist and oppressive settler white minority rule, and the Unilateral Declaration of Indepence (UDI) by Ian Smith. Until the imperialist and neocolonial forces were on the verge of collapse in Zimbabwe from the concerted efforts of Zimbabwean nationalists and Pan-African Front Line States, did Anglo-American imperialism begin to push for a negotiated settlement, lest they lost completely in Zimbabwe. Their suit for a negotiated settlement, was to save the rump of the settler class, and particularly ensure that white privilege and control of the Zimnbabwean economy, particularly agricultural land-the bone of contention for the liberators-continued in a post-racist and post-UDI Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwean African nationalists, led by comrades Robert Gabriel Mugabe, and Joshua Nkomo, compromised at Lancaster, and allowed for a delayed decision on the land question. The caveat on Zimbabwean independence were that, the independence constitution would not be changed for 10 years, and any land reforms must be based on a willing-seller, willing-buyer basis, determined by market forces. The sweetner on these bitter pills, was that the Anglo-American imperialist principals, Britain and the USA, would provide credit assistance to Zimbabwe, to help it purchase land for redistribution to landless Africans and freedom fighters, from white settlers who were willing to sell.

We know that Britain under Tony Blair, reneged on this deal, and left Zimbabwean patriots with no choice, but to go forward with land reforms that was necessary for the landless African masses that had been waiting since independence. Seeing that Zimbabwe was not going to grovel at the feet of Anglo-American imperialism, an African puppet, willing to betray the objectives and aspirations of the liberation struggles, had to be found. And they found this in a reactionary trade unionist, Morgan Tsvangirai.

The crux of the struggles in Zimbabwe, is therefore, justice for historically dispossessed Africans, led by comrade Mugabe, and Anglo-American re-colonisation of Zimbabwe, with the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), led by Tsvangirai, as chief comparadore to mediate the control and domination of Zimbabwe. As far as the MDC and Tsvangirai are concerned, the problem of Zimbabwe is lie in the seizures of white-owned farms by the government, to give to landless black families and farmers. According to this logic, the Zimbabwe liberation struggle was therefore unnecessary.

This is something that Raila Odinga should understand. The Zimbabwean situation is similar to the Kenyan sitaution at the time of Raila Odinga's father, when he was Vice President of Kenya. The reason he left the young independence government was precisely because the freedom fighters who gave all to win Kenya's independence, were shortchanged by the petty bourgeoisie that seized contron of the post colonial state in Kenya. Instead of meaningful land reforms that should have seen redistribution of white settler farms in the highlands given to landless Africans and freedom fighters, the African leadership in Kenya colluded with Anglo-American imperialism to help themselves to these farms and extend colonial settler leases. As far as Jaramogi Oginga Odinga was concerned, it was Not Yet Uhuru, because the toils for Uhuru were in vain, because the population for whom the struggle for Uhuru was waged, have been cheated out of the dividends of their sacrifices for Uhuru.

It is therefore ludicruous that Raila Odinga, should declare that there is no legitimate government in Zimbabwe. and African Union (AU) should send peacekeeping troops into Zimbabwe.

Raila Odinga's problem is that of analysis by analogy, which can be very faulty. He begins to equate himself with Morgan Tsivangirai, and Robert Mugabe with Mwai Kibaki or Moi. In his thinking, the democratic struggles in Kenya, Uganda, DRC, and other African states, were and are being waged on the same issues and by the same forces. which is grossly simplistic.

In Uganda, the struggle is against an autocrat, who shot his way to power, and seized power by unconstitutional means, while murdering hundreds of thousands of fellow countrymen, with the help of Anglo-American imperialism. Dictator Yoweri Museveni, is the errandboy for Britain and the USA in East and Central Africa. It is because he helped prosecute Anglo-American imperialist plans of dislodging France from Rwanda, Burundi and DRC, and diminishing French influence in East and Central Africa, that he has been rewarded with military and financial aid, and international diplomatic protection from scrutiny for human rights violations and genocide in northern Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC. Despite the fact dictator Museveni banned political parties, and never held any elections in Uganda for 20 years, he was the west's posterboy in Africa.

As for Kenya, it was an intra-class struggle between a faction that lost out at independence, and the faction of the petty bourgeoisie that had captured and controlled the state since indpendence. While there were social justice colouring to the yearnings of the ordinary Kenyans for change, the leadership of both factions were essentially fighting for political power to control the state and continue to act as middlemen for British settler and American imperialist capital. Consequently, for the leadership of the intraclass factions, the struggle was limited to free and fair elections, supervised by agents of imperialism, but not fundamental alternations in the structure of power and the Kenyan economy, that has left so many so poor for so long since independence. For the ordinary Kenyan, as it was for Raila Odinga's father, Oginga Odinga, it is Not Yet Uhuru.

This is in contrast to Zimbabwe, where the African leadership is striving to empower the dispossessed black masses, by speaking truth to power. And for this, the west imposed sanctions and economic blockade against Zimbabwe, so that they may suffer and grovel at the feet of the oppressors, through the MDC and Morgan Tsvangirai. We know there is enormous and unforgivable suffering in Zimbabwe as a result of this and the actions of the government to maintain law and order. But it is legitimate to wonder, what contribution covert imperialist actions and manipulation of reactionary MDC forces have made to the desperation. Whatever the answer, we believe that in the end, in the broader interests of the Zimbabwean masses, and under tremendous pressure and threats from Anglo-American imperialism, the actions of the ZANU-PF government is justified. Both Britain and the USA would not tolerate quislings.

For Tsvangirai and Raila Odinga, free and fair elections are all we need; forget about issues of justice and fairness. But to many Zimbabwean patriots and Africans, the issue of justice and fairness is critical, existential and trumps the question of free and fair elections. The landless Africans do not eat ballot papers or procedural platitudes. They want to be free, masters of their destiny and sovereign.

We believe Raila's utterances are meant to endear himself to the Anglo-American imperialists, standing him in good stead to succeed their favoured shambaboy, Yoweri Museveni, next door as East Africa's slave driver. As a Kenyan bourgeoisie removed from the trepidations of ordinary Kenyans, Raila certainly is suited for the job. However, we believe very strongly that, our hero, Raila's father, Jaramogi Abongo Oginga Odinga, is gnashing his teeth and turning in his grave, wondering, how such whitehot coals like himself, could have begotten such cold, impotent ash.

Just a piece of advice to Raila Odinga before he gets overzealous to dethrone Yoweri Museveni as regional favourite of Anglo-America: Yoweri Museveni still has some worth left with the Anglo-American imperialists. What with DRC smouldering? However, the imperialists will be happy for competition, which will drive the bargain downwards, as they will play Kampala against Nairobi, and have their biddings done on the cheap.

Nonetheless, we tip our hats to Africa's newest Anglo-American imperialist hatchetman in the region...Hip Hip! Hooray! Hip Hip! Hooray! Hip Hip! Hooray Raila Odinga!