By Kiberenge Jnr.
Today fellow Kenyans, I dissect and objectively expose the content in the character or lack of it, in the political life of Deputy President William Ruto, a political journey likened to that of the proverbial Simon Makonde.
What many people don’t know, is the fact that Ruto was first scouted by former President Moi while him and Jirongo paid the former President a visit, when Moi’s hawk eyed intelligence gurus popularly known as the National Security Intelligence Service then ran a surveillance report about Ruto’s political usefulness, they observed that this was a prospective political tool for use in future and true to that assessment, Ruto has been a useful tool to both the State and “The System”.He had all the qualities that perfectly resonated and fitted in a system of perpetuation of dictatorship and tyrannism. This automatically earned him a place in the YK92, an amorphous, well oiled group whose singular mandate was to make sure Moi retained the Presidency at all costs, by hook or crook against the wind of change threat which was threatening to sweep KANU out power.
It is fair to state that Ruto’s first “employment ” as soon as he graduated was YK92 from where he would become an over night millionaire. For those who can recall, the activities of YK92 later on brought Kenya’s economy on its knees. That he was later on allowed to defeat Reuben Chesire, a close confidant and relative of Moi for the Eldoret North Parliamentary seat, and walk away with it in an era when Moi dictated who should be MP where, was a clear demonstration of how the man from Sugoi had been found useful by the system.
The Deputy President has never known politics outside government, including the period between 2002 to 2007 where he found himself being a favourite of the Kibaki regime corruption networks, the other short stint in ODM, it is public knowledge that his actions within were purely designed to undermine the pro people reform movement, accomplishing part of his mission as designed earlier by ” The System “.
A person whose political career was inaugurated inside State House is best defined as an appendage of State machinations, this was clearly demonstrated when Ruto blindly supported a two term Uhuru Presidency instead of agreeing to an alternate Presidency, this was a politician blinded by the lure of State largesse.
In the last five years in government, ” The System ” has cleverly allowed Ruto easy access to the public till, while ensuring every jubilee scandal has consistently one main and common suspect mentioned in public conversations- RUTO.
Statesman Winston Churchill advised, ” However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results”.
Does Ruto’s political journey thus far have any positive results?
What goes around comes around. Ruto was poised to be the obvious heir apparent to the throne. It seemed so up until August 2017. Nobody will ever know the contents of the mutual agreement with President Uhuru in 2013, if there was any. But what we all know is that it had something to do with Uhuru returning favor in 2022, It is the bit of returning favor in 2022 that is causing jitters, unsettling the Kalenjin nation, triggering emotions and feelings of betrayal smelling in the air. We all remmember Ruto repeatedly saying “Sisi tumejipanga hadi 2032. Hao wengine wangoje 2037″. Whether Ruto still holds that position, your guess is as good as mine. But we have never heard that statement since August 2017. As I have always said, Once one outlives their usefulness in the eyes of their masters, they are dispensed,soon most Kenyans will understand this better.
What is obvious is that Ruto has no political strategy going forward and the few occasions when he puts together something similar to a political strategy, he evidently lacked tact.
Ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tsu, advised and I concur, that ” Strategy without tactics is the shortest route to victory, tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat”. The letter part aptly defines Ruto’s latest political life.
This country needs healing and reconciliation, a process initiated by the famous handshake, it is illogical and outright careless for any aspiring Presidential candidate to oppose this process or to sound jilted.
Ruto is slowly emerging as a person opposed to every well intentioned gesture by the majority, he opposes every pro change initiative not forgetting the cold feet manner he has addressed issues of corruption in government, a country that rewards cartelism within government is destined to effectively self ruin.
As former British Prime Minister Rt Hon Harold Wilson said, ” He who rejects change is the architect of decay, The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery “.
For now the big question is will William Ruto will be able to mount an effective Presidential campaign to push the combined oligarchs to the limit? Is Ruto minus state machinery able to rise to the standard set by Raila? What does it take to mount an effective campaign without state support? I will re-visit the issue of the standard later.
The coming together of Uhuru and Raila is a shocker Ruto won’t recover from any time soon. His actions and body language reflects so. The handshake shock William to the bare bones, he least expected it, it was never in his equation, William was sure the two handshakers were sworn enemies. He was wrong. In short,he never anticipated, neither was he prepared to deal with such a scenario and it has considerably scuttled and disoriented his ambition, at least for now. The thorn in Ruto’s flesh is that he has in the past exposed himself to the two enemies who are now bossom friends, and they both know Ruto better, what he is capable of doing, the furthest he can go.
I don’t know what amount of international network Ruto has built for his political aspirations, I’m aware the system made sure Ruto did not establish any international network by deliberately limiting his international trips. Infact, as much as I can remmember, the furthest the Deputy president went in representing his Boss in an international assignment was Togo and Sudan. Indeed, his Boss preferred dispatching CS Amina Mohammed to represent him in international events across the World. This is in public domain.Whether it was by design, default or chance is debatable. Consequently Ruto does not have a chance to create international friends.
Most will agree with me that throughout his political career, Raila built himself and maintained a powerful international network of individuals and institutions for channeling Presidential campaign war chest resources to mount an effective campaign. This is besides him being the 6th wealthiest person in Kenya. In this network are individuals like Dangote, George Soros, Cyril Ramafosa, Olesugun Obasanjo, Nana Akof Ado, John Pombe Maghufuli among other very wealthy individuals around Africa, Across the oceans he had the likes of Lord Steel, Bill Gates Foundation among others. Locally he had a lethal network comprising the likes of SK Macharia, Jimmy Wanjigi,Gemstone dealer Johnstone Muthama, Ali Hassan Joho, Evans Kidero, Mombasa Bulk Grain Handlers et al. I really don’t know Ruto’s local network besides Murkomen, Mandago, Duale.
Lately, I have noticed Uhuru’s network of wealthy friends have been coalescing around Raila. The who-is-who in Kenya, the faceless- media-shy owners of Kenya who call the shots from the background are now appearing in Raila’s company.Thats not all. They are rolling red carpets for Raila.I thought they should appear in Ruto’s company.!! I’m talking about the threshold of challenging the system as set by Raila. Further more, I’m wondering how Ruto will rally the masses behind him like Raila. As of now, I know he has four counties solidly behind him in Rift Valley i.e Uasin Gishu, Nandi, Kericho and Bomet.
It is naive for Ruto to imagine that being a DP is a direct licence to the Presidency, more so if he ever imagined that his support for Uhuru in 2013 and 2017 would be reciprocated. Let me remind him that friendship and politics are two different things. Yes, Uhuru was just his friend. The chemistry between the Moi’s and Kenyatta’s is very solid, permanent and closely knit, that it cannot be altered by the mere friendship between Ruto and Uhuru. If you recall, Moi openly blasted his long serving Vice President late George Saitoti, point blank, “Saitoti wewe ni rafiki yangu. Lakini urafiki na siasa ni vitu mbili tofauti”.
Ruto never understood us when we wanted Raila to take over in 2013 and 2017. He instead supported defended and protected electoral injustices just because his blind political interests were well catered for by the system. Remmember he is not immune to the same and his time will come. At some point he will be the victim. It seems there is some progress going on from within, many things are happening in the background, so to speak. The System will always start by silencing those around you before they finally come for you. Is it a coincidence that Aden Duale is being confronted with threats of facing charges of evading taxes amounting to 1.2b?
Besides the chemistry between the Kenyatta’s and the Moi’s, ” The system” must be having some issues to settle with Ruto. There are people around the Presidency, in the corridors of power who always hoped that Uhuru would dissociate himself from Ruto as early as 2014. Luckily for him, DP position is well entrenched in the Constitution. It’s not like in Moi’s era when Vice Presidents were sacked and appointed through road side declarations. That is something he needs to thank Raila about. Well, Uhuru was not a fool. He was waiting for an opportune moment.
Did I say the system has some scores to settle with Ruto? Yes. There is this small issue of PEV 2007-8. It is slowly resurrecting as we approach 2022. Was Ruto confidently convinced this issue died when he and Uhuru came together? No. People cannot continue leaving in permanent displacement after they lost their lands in 2007-8 and you imagine that they forgot and will vote for you. They are lying to you.
Finally, we all saw Ruto gate crashing into Moi’s Kabarak home and trying to coase him into an unsolicited handshake,. This is something he should never have done, if you ask me. It projected him very badly nationally. It might have earned him some sympathy among the Kalenjin but a Digo in Mombasa is wondering that if your neighbours close their doors when they hear you are visiting them, what will a Digo do? It reminds me of a certain song I guess by Mariam Makeba :”Hata majirani, wamechoka kumuona,wanasema fungeni milango anakuja”
William Ruto is now on the chopping board, his supporters should mellow, because I will honour my civic duty as a diligent Son of this land by offering unsolicited scrutiny on Ruto for I know patriotism is not about being obedient to government and its officials but being obedient to the values that make a great Nation. Kiberenge Jnr
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