Post by miguna on Mar 26, 2007 2:25:28 GMT 3
RAILA’S HUMMER IS A SYMBOL OF POLITICAL MUSCLE
By MIGUNA MIGUNA* - © 24 March 2007
Whether we like it or not, the Lang’ata MP, Raila Odinga, has style and political muscle. The Humvee represents strength, power and versatility. After all, the Americans first introduced it as a military vehicle for ragged terrain.
No other politician in Kenya today generates more media coverage, interest and energy than Raila. His every act and statement attracts volleys of analysis and scrutiny. One can even argue that Raila attracts more media coverage and analysis than President Kibaki. That is clearly unprecedented in any country given the fact that Raila is just a mere backbencher.
It was not entirely surprising that when Kibaki went to reconvene the last Parliamentary session before this year’s elections last week, Raila stole the thunder from under the president’s feet - literally. No amount of military music, guards of honour, stretch limousines, outside riders, brass and hardware that accompanied the president’s arrival at and departure from Parliament could prevent The Agwambo from firmly laying claim on that special day.
I bet my last penny that the only vivid memory the overwhelming majority of Kenyans have of that day is not the president’s speech. Nor is it the president’s entourage. What most Kenyans remember, and will stay inscribed in their minds forever, is Raila arriving and leaving in a red Hummer, with police and the public in hot pursuit.
Thanks to modern technology, even Kenyans abroad were able to watch Raila’s sensational entry to Parliament in his red Hummer H3 - whistles and all. The streets, bars, salons, villages, towns and taverns of Kenya have been burning with all manner of stories about Raila’s humongous vehicle.
And it is not just the exaggerated price of Ksh 43 million ($600,000 (US) that the KTN reporter mistakenly attached to the vehicle that has been confounding to viewers abroad. Nor has it been the menacing size and the colour red.
Raila’s Humvee, even with all the ding dongs, toys, sprucing and bulletproofing (if it has these) is dirt cheap compared to other top of the range SUVs. A quick search on CarPrices.com reveals that a 2007 Hummer H3 goes for a measly Ksh2 million ($28,935 (US)). Going by the number of Mercedes-Benzes, BMWs, Toyota Land-Cruisers and Toyota Prados on Kenyan streets, a Ksh 2 million automobile is dirt cheap.
Other Kenyan politicians like Simeon Nyachae fly around in their personal helicopters without a blip of media curiosity. Many Kenyan politicians and business magnates like Nyachae, Njenga Karume, Haroun Mwau, Joe Wanjui, John Michuki, Mwai Kibaki and others own fleets of more expensive automobiles. The top of the range Range Rovers, Toyota Land cruisers, Lexus LX 470s, Mercedes-Benz S600, Porsche Cayennes - even an occasional Maybach by Daimler-Chrysler – are regular means of transportation for the crème-dela-crème in Kenya.
Unlike Raila’s Hummer H3 that costs Ksh 2 million; a Range Rover HSE commands Ksh 7.8 million ($108,099); Both Toyota Lexus LX 470 and Porsche Cayenne Turbo S cost Ksh 6.6 million ($ 92,225) each; a Mercedes-Benz S600 goes for Ksh 9.2 million ($127,950); a Rolls-Royce Phantom Sedan Ksh 23.6 million ($328,750); and the most expensive of them all – a Maybach fetches Ksh 43 million ($600,000).
It is therefore apparent that the price tag attached to Raila’s Hummer belongs to the Maybach.
Raila did not attract all the interest because of the cost of his vehicle. If any of us had appeared on the streets of Nairobi in the most muscular Humvee, we might, if we are lucky, attract attention and curiosity for the first thirty minutes before the traffic police hauls our vehicle off to the police yard for some infraction like parallel parking.
When Kibaki got injured in a motor vehicle accident before the December 2002 elections, he was being driven in a Range Rover HSE. A fully loaded and bullet-proofed Range Rover HSE is about 14 million ($200,000). Yet, both the media and ordinary Kenyans never bothered themselves about the cost of the vehicle. And it was not the tragedy of the situation that curtailed their interest; for indeed it should have been the opposite considering that the vehicle might have been responsible for saving Kibaki’s life.
Not Raila. Raila and his red Humvee have become the latest sensation and talk of the entire country. The cost of the wall-to-wall free publicity the Humvee has given Raila is impossible to estimate. Such free publicity has firm traction with voters. Needless to say, such publicity helps boost his image as a strong, powerful, courageous and larger-than-life figure. In an election year, Raila needs that image to be cultivated in the minds of all Kenyans. For without power, strength and courage, Kenya’s many ills cannot be addressed.
I understand that General Motors is manufacturing Humvees for the African market in South Africa. GM plans to assemble and sell a few in Kenya. Eventually, Kenyans will get used to the Humvee on their streets. Undoubtedly, many of our ravenous politicians will try to out-do each other showing off their latest, most spruced up Humvees.
However, no matter how hard they try, we will never forget who introduced the Hummer in our midst in such style.
Raila’s red Hummer has confirmed his reputation as an enigma.
Let’s now wait for the launch of his presidential campaign to gauge how far this man will go to stamp himself in our memories.
______________________________________________________________________
*The writer is a Barrister & Solicitor in Toronto, Canada
Miguna@migunamiguna.com
By MIGUNA MIGUNA* - © 24 March 2007
Whether we like it or not, the Lang’ata MP, Raila Odinga, has style and political muscle. The Humvee represents strength, power and versatility. After all, the Americans first introduced it as a military vehicle for ragged terrain.
No other politician in Kenya today generates more media coverage, interest and energy than Raila. His every act and statement attracts volleys of analysis and scrutiny. One can even argue that Raila attracts more media coverage and analysis than President Kibaki. That is clearly unprecedented in any country given the fact that Raila is just a mere backbencher.
It was not entirely surprising that when Kibaki went to reconvene the last Parliamentary session before this year’s elections last week, Raila stole the thunder from under the president’s feet - literally. No amount of military music, guards of honour, stretch limousines, outside riders, brass and hardware that accompanied the president’s arrival at and departure from Parliament could prevent The Agwambo from firmly laying claim on that special day.
I bet my last penny that the only vivid memory the overwhelming majority of Kenyans have of that day is not the president’s speech. Nor is it the president’s entourage. What most Kenyans remember, and will stay inscribed in their minds forever, is Raila arriving and leaving in a red Hummer, with police and the public in hot pursuit.
Thanks to modern technology, even Kenyans abroad were able to watch Raila’s sensational entry to Parliament in his red Hummer H3 - whistles and all. The streets, bars, salons, villages, towns and taverns of Kenya have been burning with all manner of stories about Raila’s humongous vehicle.
And it is not just the exaggerated price of Ksh 43 million ($600,000 (US) that the KTN reporter mistakenly attached to the vehicle that has been confounding to viewers abroad. Nor has it been the menacing size and the colour red.
Raila’s Humvee, even with all the ding dongs, toys, sprucing and bulletproofing (if it has these) is dirt cheap compared to other top of the range SUVs. A quick search on CarPrices.com reveals that a 2007 Hummer H3 goes for a measly Ksh2 million ($28,935 (US)). Going by the number of Mercedes-Benzes, BMWs, Toyota Land-Cruisers and Toyota Prados on Kenyan streets, a Ksh 2 million automobile is dirt cheap.
Other Kenyan politicians like Simeon Nyachae fly around in their personal helicopters without a blip of media curiosity. Many Kenyan politicians and business magnates like Nyachae, Njenga Karume, Haroun Mwau, Joe Wanjui, John Michuki, Mwai Kibaki and others own fleets of more expensive automobiles. The top of the range Range Rovers, Toyota Land cruisers, Lexus LX 470s, Mercedes-Benz S600, Porsche Cayennes - even an occasional Maybach by Daimler-Chrysler – are regular means of transportation for the crème-dela-crème in Kenya.
Unlike Raila’s Hummer H3 that costs Ksh 2 million; a Range Rover HSE commands Ksh 7.8 million ($108,099); Both Toyota Lexus LX 470 and Porsche Cayenne Turbo S cost Ksh 6.6 million ($ 92,225) each; a Mercedes-Benz S600 goes for Ksh 9.2 million ($127,950); a Rolls-Royce Phantom Sedan Ksh 23.6 million ($328,750); and the most expensive of them all – a Maybach fetches Ksh 43 million ($600,000).
It is therefore apparent that the price tag attached to Raila’s Hummer belongs to the Maybach.
Raila did not attract all the interest because of the cost of his vehicle. If any of us had appeared on the streets of Nairobi in the most muscular Humvee, we might, if we are lucky, attract attention and curiosity for the first thirty minutes before the traffic police hauls our vehicle off to the police yard for some infraction like parallel parking.
When Kibaki got injured in a motor vehicle accident before the December 2002 elections, he was being driven in a Range Rover HSE. A fully loaded and bullet-proofed Range Rover HSE is about 14 million ($200,000). Yet, both the media and ordinary Kenyans never bothered themselves about the cost of the vehicle. And it was not the tragedy of the situation that curtailed their interest; for indeed it should have been the opposite considering that the vehicle might have been responsible for saving Kibaki’s life.
Not Raila. Raila and his red Humvee have become the latest sensation and talk of the entire country. The cost of the wall-to-wall free publicity the Humvee has given Raila is impossible to estimate. Such free publicity has firm traction with voters. Needless to say, such publicity helps boost his image as a strong, powerful, courageous and larger-than-life figure. In an election year, Raila needs that image to be cultivated in the minds of all Kenyans. For without power, strength and courage, Kenya’s many ills cannot be addressed.
I understand that General Motors is manufacturing Humvees for the African market in South Africa. GM plans to assemble and sell a few in Kenya. Eventually, Kenyans will get used to the Humvee on their streets. Undoubtedly, many of our ravenous politicians will try to out-do each other showing off their latest, most spruced up Humvees.
However, no matter how hard they try, we will never forget who introduced the Hummer in our midst in such style.
Raila’s red Hummer has confirmed his reputation as an enigma.
Let’s now wait for the launch of his presidential campaign to gauge how far this man will go to stamp himself in our memories.
______________________________________________________________________
*The writer is a Barrister & Solicitor in Toronto, Canada
Miguna@migunamiguna.com
