Prof Joseph Ouma Muga. [Source/DN]
ODM leader Raila Odinga has vied for the presidency for five times; 1997, 2007, 2013, 2017 and 2022.
Apart from 1997 election that was won by Daniel arap Moi of KANU, Raila maintains that victory has been stolen from him in the other polls he faced Mwai Kibaki, Uhuru Kenyatta (twice), and the incumbent President William Ruto.
The former Prime Minister might vie again in 2027 and if he will be beaten again by Ruto that will mean his ambition for the presidency will come to a painful and sorrowful end.
If that happens, Prof Joseph Ouma Muga’s prophecy that Raila will never be President will be fulfilled.
The highly educated and politician made the prophecy in 2006 during a funeral in Kochia West, Homa Bay county, that was attended by a majority of Luo Leaders.
Born in the remote village of Kochia, Prof Muga made a name for himself in the world of academics where was described as ‘impossibly intelligent’.
During his school days, he emerged top student during the Kenya African Certificate of Secondary Education and Cambridge Overseas School Certificate in 1957.
This would earn him a place at Makerere University where he graduated with a degree in Geography.
Afterwards, he did his Master of Science degree(MSC) in Australia and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in fluvial geomorphology in a record time-frame.
Prof Muga became a lecturer at Makerere and later moved to Moi University’s where he established School of Environmental Studies in 1985 and was the School’s first Dean.
After his sojourn in Moi University, the Professor ventured into politics of which he became MP of the then Rangwe Constituency in 1988 on a KANU ticket and got appointed as an Assistant Minister for Environment by then President Daniel Moi.
However, the Prof Muga was fired just a few months later for allegedly boasting that he wrote the speech that warned Moi standing ovation during Ozone layer conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1989.
During 1992 multiparty election he sidelined Raila and joined Kijana Wamalwa’s Ford-Kenya and was reelected as Rangwe MP.
However, in 1997 he lost his seat after he again ‘rebeled’ against Raila who up to date has huge influence in Luo Nyanza politics.
That loss sent Prof Muga to political oblivion and by the time he died in 2018 due to hypertension and later diabetes he was a dejected, poor man abandoned by his former colleagues as well as family.
“Until his death, not even his county government would employ him. Kenya turned its back on such a genius and no one was willing to put such brains int good use,” read a post on Kenya Today.
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