Kenyans on X have unleashed a torrent of fury on Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Oburu Odinga following remarks he made on Wednesday at State House, Nairobi, that have sparked one of the most heated national debates in recent memory.
Oburu was among the guests at the launch of the Kenya Sovereign Wealth Fund, presided over by President William Ruto.
When the 84-year-old senator took to the podium, he stunned the room and the entire country by urging Ruto to embrace what he described as a benevolent dictatorship. The Siaya Senator argued that excessive democracy and political resistance were standing in the way of transformative government programmes, and that bold, authoritative leadership was occasionally necessary for long-term economic progress.
The reaction from Kenyans was immediate, fierce, and at times deeply personal. On X, citizens did not hold back, hurling all manner of names at the octogenarian, including old geezer, dinosaur, Methuselah and homopithecus, among other colourful descriptions that trended for hours. Others went further, expressing wishes that Oburu would meet his maker sooner rather than later, with some openly praying for his death because a man of his age and standing should know better than to advocate for dictatorship in a country that has paid a heavy price for exactly that kind of leadership.
“It is unfortunate that someone like Oburu Odinga, who carries the legacy of the late Raila Odinga, can say something like that. Advising Ruto to embrace a benevolent dictatorship is adding fuel to the fire,” one Kenyan wrote.
Another was far less restrained. “I pray this old geezer meets his maker as fast as possible since he has become a nuisance to Kenyans,” the user posted.
The remarks have also raised painful questions about the direction of ODM following the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Many Kenyans feel that Oburu, rather than protecting his brother’s legacy of fighting for democratic rights and the common person, is actively dismantling it by cosying up to a government that has been accused of suppressing dissent, killing protesters and undermining constitutional freedoms.
For a man whose family name is synonymous with the struggle for democracy in Kenya, telling the President to be a dictator, however benevolent, is a betrayal that many Kenyans are finding very difficult to stomach.
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