As is his style in politics, Azimio leader Raila Odinga has won over followers in Murang’a by asking a conundrum.
Raila is well renowned for employing the rhetorical device to convey messages. He has been referred to for a long time as Mr. Kitendawili, which is the Swahili word for a riddle. In his remarks to supporters during a town hall meeting on Thursday in Murang’a, Raila used the craft of speech to amuse his audience.
“Kitendawili! kitendawili! Kusikia lakini kuona anaona hasikii ila kwa kigogo. What’s up, nani?” He queried. The ODM leader criticized a number of the crowd’s replies as being incorrect.
“Mmeshindwa. You have failed, Jibu ni yule mnyama anaitwa burukenge.” The monitor lizard is the answer, according to Raila.
He continued to explain the puzzle to his audience, pointing them that the monitor lizard and crocodile have similar appearances. He can see, but until he is battered, he cannot hear or listen. He said, “These individuals want to be fired so they can listen.”
One of the qualities of the leader that has helped him become a well-liked political figure is his ability to employ riddles to convey difficult governance topics. In addition to using riddles to attack his rivals, Raila also utilizes them to amuse the general public and break up the monotony of political speeches.
President William Ruto is one of the people with a reputation for addressing Raila as “mtu wa kitendawili”.
“The opposition leader,” he added, will now be referred to as “‘my brother’if it helps put an end to protests.
“I’ll call Raila my brother 10 times if it helps stop the demonstrations, mayhem, and damage of people’s property.” On Monday, Ruto declared, “I will even call him’my dear brother.”