States-craft:
Is defined as art of winning elections, taking power and maintaining it.
This requires a complex web of factors and people..
This is where I see that Ruto messed.
He made the same mistake Raila made.
Taking power in Kenya requires more than popularity. Raila filled Uhuru Park for 20 years, but failed. Kibaki won in 1997 but failed to take power. Raila won by 80% in 6 of the 8 Provinces in 2007 , but failed to take power.
As I have stated here severally, Ruto is very popular. But he failed to study Raila and Kibaki and how one ascended to power, and the other failed.
First, Ruto messed big time by kicking out the Kalenjin Old guards that controlled the Moi State. By kicking them out and surrounding himself with neophytes like Sudi, Ichungwa and Kuria, Ruto missed a key resource….. Experience. People like Sally Kosgei, Franklin Bett, Zackayo Cheruiyot and Joshua Kulei may not have been popular, but they controlled the Moi State. They knew what Power was and how it was acquired.
The elderly Kalenjin leaders would have warned Ruto to go slow in his relationship with Uhuru. They would have told him never to fold URP. They would have foreseen Ruto being kicked out. They knew that politics has no friendship, but interests.
But they were kicked out, and Ruto remained with young excitable fellows. Yes, they are popular with the youth, and have very strong following in Central and Rift Valley…. But that is not enough.
For Kibaki to take power, he had to negotiate with the powers that be. He had to bring people like George Muhoho, a relative to Mama Ngina, to his side and assure the Moi Family that it would be well even if he took power in 2002. And true Kibaki never touched Moi. Otherwise Moi would not have given over power.
To win, Ruto ought to be more Diplomatic. Openly fighting his Boss will land him nowhere.
Such advice can only come from the elders. They will give him direction.
Lakini hii group ya vijana, hii group ya kupiga kifua. Hii group ya Roho Juu….. Will lead nowhere, ata kama they are as popular as Raila in 2007.
Hii kitu ni kujipanga. Otherwise uta jipata una pangwa na nobodies like Murathe and Tuju.