Olusegun Obasanjo: Referee in Ruto Raila talks is a unique man with a unique past
Olusegun Obasanjo, a prominent Nigerian statesman, is set to play a crucial role as a mediator in the Kenya peace talks between Raila and Ruto, even as maandamano continue. But what most Kenyans do not realize is that he has been here before, playing the same role. That was in 2008 during the bloody post election violence that erupted after Mwai Kibaki rigged the 2007 presidential polls.
He first came to power as a military leader after participating in the 1975 coup that ousted General Yakubu Gowon. In a very dramatic turn of events, the Supreme Military Council named Obasanjo as president after the leader of the triumvirate and President of Nigeria, Murtala Muhammad, was assassinated the following year (1976). Murtala, Nigeria's 3rd military head-of-state was killed by dissident soldiers who sprayed his black official Mercedes Benz with bullets at a traffic stop on his 200th day in office. He was only 37 years old at the time of his death.
Obasanjo continued Murtala's policy by implementing budget cuts and expanding access to free education. During his military presidency from 1976 to 1979, Obasanjo implemented various reforms and initiated the transition process towards civilian rule.
After stepping down as military president (something so rare in Africa), Obasanjo remained active in Nigerian politics and eventually became the country's first democratically elected civilian president in 1999. His presidency lasted for two terms until 2007, during which he focused on economic development, anti-corruption measures, and fostering international relations.
Beyond his national leadership roles, Obasanjo has also been involved in numerous diplomatic efforts across Africa. One notable example is his mediation role during the Kenya peace talks following the post-election violence that erupted in 2007-2008. His experience as both a military and civilian leader no doubt provided him with unique insights into conflict resolution and negotiation processes.
But even more super fascinating here, is the fact that Obasanjo comes into the Kenyan conflict at a time when something very similar happened in his home country of Nigeria only a handful of months ago.
The Nigerian presidential elections of 2023 were marred by claims of massive voter fraud, raising concerns about the integrity and fairness of the entire electoral process.
One of the key issues that emerged during the elections was the manipulation of voter registration lists. There were reports of duplicate names, deceased individuals still being listed as eligible voters, and even instances where individuals claimed they were unable to vote because someone else had already cast a ballot in their name. All this will naturally sound very familiar to long suffering Kenyans, will it not?
Another area of concern was the alleged tampering with electronic voting machines. There were claims that these machines were hacked or manipulated to favor certain candidates who ended up winning.
Furthermore, there were reports of intimidation and violence at polling stations, which further undermined confidence in the electoral process. Instances of voter suppression, such as denying access to polling stations or deliberately creating long queues to discourage participation, were also been reported.
Obasanjo has been very vocal and critical back home of the current administration and has raised questions about the credibility and transparency of the elections. He has highlighted issues such as voter suppression, irregularities in vote counting, and allegations of electoral fraud.
In his statements, Obasanjo has called for electoral reforms to ensure free and fair elections in Nigeria. He has emphasized the importance of upholding democratic principles and ensuring that citizens' voices are heard through a transparent electoral process.
As a prominent figure in Nigerian politics, Obasanjo's views on the recent election troubles in the country of his birth no doubt carry a lot of weight, but action is not forthcoming because naturally, this is Africa. Don't miss: Ruto dictatorial trickery exposed but can Raila still win?
Also read;
The drama at Azimio Sunday presser that exposed Ruto trickery
Why the most dangerous situation for Kenya today is that Ruto believes he can fix this
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Snippet quoted from the Weekly Intelligence Briefings No 112...
The executive decision to retire the old Kshs 1,000 note resulted in a loss of billions of shillings from the personal kitty election war chest of the then DP Ruto.
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The Day Ruto security was changed from GSU to Administration Police (is this one of the reasons he can't stop being vengeful towards Uhuru?)
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Raila Odinga in a press conference with the international press in Nairobi yesterday even went on to use the phrase “ethnic cleansing” and made comparisons with similar happenings from the past from all over the world. Read Chris Kumekucha full article
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