In June 2023, Yevgeny Prigozhin stood at the gates of destiny, poised to change the course of Russian history. With Wagner forces marching toward Moscow, Prigozhin seemed unstoppable, daring to challenge the might of the Kremlin. The air was thick with anticipation—he had already crossed the Rubicon, burning the bridge that could lead him back to forgiveness. But then, like a soldier abandoning his shield in battle, he halted his advance. The lion, having roared, turned and retreated.
It was this retreat that wrote Prigozhin’s epitaph. He had crossed Putin’s red line, a line no one crosses and lives to tell the tale. And yet, he hoped that by stopping short of total rebellion, he could negotiate his way out of the furnace. The irony? In backing down, Prigozhin sealed his fate. Putin’s Kremlin—like all seats of absolute power—doesn’t forgive those who strike and retreat. No, it remembers. And when it strikes back, it leaves no survivors.
Now, let’s bring this tale closer to home—Rigathi Gachagua, are you paying attention?
You see, in political warfare, there comes a time when retreat is nothing but a fancy word for surrender. Where you are right now with William Ruto, you’ve reached that critical point. Just like Prigozhin, you’ve crossed the red line—the line where forgiveness, reconciliation, and compromise are no longer on the table. You’ve thrown the first punches, taken a stand. To step back now? To retreat? That’s not just a mistake—it’s political suicide.
In history, the powerful never forget those who dare to challenge them. Julius Caesar’s enemy, Pompey, once controlled the might of Rome. Yet when Caesar marched on Rome, Pompey fled, believing he could regroup and fight another day. Caesar pursued him relentlessly. Pompey never got his second chance—he ended up murdered on a beach in Egypt. His retreat cost him not just power, but his life.
Rigathi, Pompey and Prigozhin are staring at you from the pages of history, warning you not to repeat their mistakes.
Take another example, this time from Africa: Patrice Lumumba. He, too, tried to play the dangerous game of confronting entrenched power. At the crucial moment, he hesitated, believing he could negotiate with forces far stronger than he realized. The result? A bullet in his head and his nation plunged into darkness. Retreating didn’t save him, just as it won’t save you. Once you’ve shown defiance, retreat is not an option.
And Ruto? Oh, make no mistake, he knows exactly what’s at stake. Once someone in his camp shows disloyalty, it’s a fight to the finish. He knows that the moment you step back, it’s over for you. Like Putin watching Prigozhin, he will wait, let you retreat into a false sense of security, and then deliver the final blow when it’s least expected. No, Rigathi, once you’ve put your name in the book of rebellion, the only way out is through.
Even Napoleon Bonaparte, one of history’s greatest military minds, learned this lesson the hard way. After rising to power and conquering much of Europe, he retreated in 1812 after his ill-fated invasion of Russia. That retreat led to his eventual exile, his empire crumbling beneath him. Had he pushed harder or chosen a different path, history might have told a different story. But once he retreated, he never regained the full measure of his power.
You, Rigathi, stand on the precipice of your own Waterloo. If you retreat now, you will be consigned to the political wilderness, just like so many before you. History isn’t kind to those who start a fight and fail to finish it.
The greatest irony here is that retreat often seems like the safer option. Prigozhin thought so, Pompey thought so, and Napoleon thought so. But retreat is the deadliest trap for those who have already dared to challenge the throne. It doesn’t bring peace—it invites annihilation. Ruto, like Putin, will never forget or forgive.
So, Rigathi, this is your defining moment. You’ve come too far to retreat now. Like a lion in the wild, you either fight or perish. The political battlefield doesn’t have room for second thoughts. Ask Prigozhin, ask Pompey, ask Lumumba. The answer will always be the same: when you start the march, you don’t stop until the war is over.
In the battle between you and William Ruto, whoever blinks first loses. Retreat? That’s not an option—it’s a guaranteed obituary.I have no preferred side in this conflict. My duty is to say things as they are-including giving unsolicited pieces of advice.
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