Kenya opposition boss’s coup confession stirs row

Reuters AlertNet, UK
July 24, 2006

NAIROBI, July 24 (Reuters) – An admission by Kenya’s harshest
government critic that he backed a coup attempt against then President
Daniel arap Moi has rocked the country’s already turbulent political
scene a year ahead of a 2007 election.

A new biography of opposition leader Raila Odinga, 59, reveals he was
involved in plotting the 1982 coup attempt during which hundreds died
and Nairobi was looted.

Odinga’s confirmation of that has outraged his foes, who called for
him to be arrested for treason. But it has delighted supporters,
confirming their view of Odinga as just the revolutionary firebrand
needed to shake up Kenya’s scandal-plagued political scene.

"By 1982, the Moi regime had become a one-party absolute despotism
with a long train of abuses," said Deputy Information Minister Koigi
wa Wamwere, applauding Odinga.

"This made peaceful change of government impossible; a military coup
inevitable," added Wamwere, who like Odinga was imprisoned under Moi.

According to the book — titled "Raila Odinga: an enigma in
Kenyan politics" and picturing a lion on the front — he set up a
communications centre at an apartment in Nairobi where he monitored
events on behalf of the plotters.

Moi survived the attempt to oust him.

Reacting to the book, Moi said it revealed Odinga’s true nature and
urged Kenyans to be wary of "the man from the lake", referring to
his origins near Lake Victoria.

Odinga, who intends to vie for the country’s presidency next year,
is widely credited with orchestrating President Mwai Kibaki’s 2002
election win, which ended Moi’s 24-year reign.

STEEPED IN CONTROVERSY

But the relationship turned sour during a constitutional referendum
campaign late last year when Odinga campaigned against a new
constitution backed by Kibaki.

The result was a humiliating defeat for Kibaki who later sacked Odinga
as his roads and public works minister.

Kibaki’s government has since been plagued by high-level graft
scandals, a police raid on Kenya’s second largest media house and an
embarrassing airport security alert involving two Armenian brothers
said to be under official protection.

As a vocal critic of Moi, Odinga was jailed on and off during a period
of eight years, a fate shared by many of the ex-president’s critics. He
then stunned opposition colleagues by forming a coalition with Moi’s
Kenya African National Union party in 2002, but led a walkout six
months later.

The fiery son of a famous Kenyan opposition campaigner derives his
main support from his western Luo tribe and slum dwellers in the
capital Nairobi.

"The air force plotters were mainly from the Luo ethnic group unhappy
with the political developments which had marginalised the Luos in
the affairs of the nation," says the book by Nigerian author Babafemi
A. Badejo.

Odinga is running third in popularity ahead of next year’s presidential
poll, according to the most recent survey. Analysts said it was too
soon to tell if the book would help or hinder.

Odinga faces a stiff challenge from Kalonzo Musyoka — running second
for the presidency according to opinion polls — to win the nomination
of their Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).