August 9 landslide loading after I dropped Nyayo
My famed Tried, Tested and Trusted socio-economic model and approach to issues still resonates well with many.
When I announced my pursuit to be the next MP for our great constituency, it was borne out of the massive requests of people of Mwisho wa Lami and beyond to roll up my sleeve to address our constituency’s most urgent needs.
My famed Tried, Tested and Trusted socio-economic model and approach to issues still resonates well with many. It was also based on my yearning to give back to society by putting to use my extensive experience, my advanced skills, and my renowned management principles to the benefit of our people.
It was never about the money, and it will never be. (Although I must say that the money that MPs earn is good. I wouldn’t mind even just a half!)
I am excited at the possibility of being a vessel of change for my people and the country at large. I have no doubt that I am the right person. But following last week’s incident where I almost lost my life after a funeral that went wrong, I have been asking myself serious questions. These questions also came up during our evening classes at Hitler’s last week.
“You are lucky to be alive, Dre,” said Nyayo, adding that it was clear I had been the target. If you remember, Nyayo had taken me to the funeral on his motorcycle, and had I not jumped off the motorcycle when the fuel ran out, we would be talking of a different story.
A big funeral
“But surely, Dre, how did you give Sh500 at a big funeral and Sh400 to youths? What were you really expecting?” asked Tito. “Even MCAs give more.”
“I didn’t know that MCAs give more,” I said. “But if you have a funeral and are given Sh500 that you did not have, how is that a problem? And is Sh400 little for people who have done nothing? What was I to pay them for? Heckling me?”
“Dre, you do not understand politics, I see,” said Saphire. “Those hecklers are the real voters. You have to find ways of working with them.”
I disagreed and told him that I don't even think the youths had IDs, nor did I believe they had registered as voters.
“I do not have time for idlers,” I said, adding that I would rather engage voters in organised sessions and with people I am sure are registered voters.
“Those boys are useless,” said Nyayo. “That was a wasted Sh400.”
Immediately, Nyayo received a call and left to go pick a customer. No sooner had he left than people began to speak up. Saphire went first. “Dre, you are a good, sellable candidate. But your campaign person is the problem,” he said.
Right hand man
He went on to add that as long as I had Nyayo as my right-hand man, I should forget about Parliament.
“Not only is Nyayo lacking in strategy, but I doubt he is even a registered voter,” added Tito. “If I had been in charge, what happened at that funeral would never have happened.”
I asked him what he would have done.
“You want me to tell you what you would have done so that you can copy?” he asked, saying that he would only answer if I paid him.
“But I can tell you what I would not have done,” he said. “First of all, I would not have allowed you to go to that funeral, and if you gave money, it would have been in Sh50 denominations. There was a scuffle because you gave Sh 400 in two Sh200 notes. That basically was money for two people.”
He had a point. Saphire supported him: “What does Nyayo know other than just riding a motorcycle and brewing busaa? You have the wrong person, Dre. If you want to win this, you have to appoint people who will do a good job for you.”
I told them that I just needed one or two persons, but Tito and Saphire said I needed a full campaign office.
“You need a chief of staff, director or operations, campaign managers, communications managers, an election team amongst other offices,” said Tito, who promptly assigned himself the role of chief of staff.
Saphire said that based on his intimate knowledge of the constituency, both during the day and at night, he would serve well as director of operations.
“You need someone who went to school, someone who can write your speeches, run a WhatsApp group and even open a Facebook page for you,” added Tito. “Is that work Nyayo can do?” he asked.
“I would not even have Nyayo as head of security,” said Saphire. “Maybe just have him as your youth wingers, but allow us to craft you company strategy.”
Past differences
I consulted my brother Pius that evening and he encouraged me to make my campaign professional if I had any chance of becoming an MP. He, however, offered to be my communications manager and even opened a Facebook page for me. He promised to be sending me speeches. I expressed to him the misgivings I had about Tito, given the differences we had.
“Open your eyes, Dre,” Pius told me. “If Raila is working with Uhuru, who are you not to work with Tito, your past differences notwithstanding? In fact, you should even bring Rasto along. He can help you with elderly people.”
I called the three – Tito, Saphire and Rasto – for a meeting the next day where I formally appointed them to my campaign secretariat. Tito, who I confirmed as the executive director, had come with a draft five-year strategic plan for our constituency that was based on my Tried, Tested and Trusted socio-economic model.
It will be the first time our constituency will hear about a strategic plan. Saphire, the new director of operations, came with an old map of the constituency. Rasto became the chairman, council of elders. Together, we planned my entire campaign calendar till election day.
When he heard that he had been dropped as my right-hand man, Nyayo went berserk, saying that I was associating myself with unpopular people who had no following. He vowed to campaign against me.
But Tito advised me not to be worried. “He may have some boda boda friends, but Nyayo has got only one vote. You may have lost one person, but you gained three who will deliver the seat to you,” he said.
With a fully-fledged campaign secretariat, I do not see how I can lose the election. I can’t wait for August!
