Photo: Statehouse operative and Jubilee Vice Chairman David Murathe who previously indicated Uhuru will be tough on corruption and implementation of projects to fast-truck his legacy.
By Kenya O Gilbert
The exuberant camaraderie exhibited by the dynamic duo – Uhuruto – in the wake of the 2013 general election was bound to die a natural death immediately after CJ Maraga swore in Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta for a second term. Never mind whether he won through fair or unfair means.
The Machiavellian brand of politics practiced in African countries and in many other regions globally demands that the king moves with speed to completely vanquish or at least permanently checkmate the kingmaker immediately after taking over office. Jomo played this card on Jaramogi, Moi owned it and unleashed it at will, while Kibaki perfected it on Raila (his kingmaker) when he rubbished the 2002 pre-election MOU which saw him kick Odinga and company out of government.
The wisdom in the Machiavellian principle is that the king won’t rule in peace with the kingmaker intact. The king might, quite often, be forced to play to the whims of the kingmaker whom he owes one. And that’s the malady which bedeviled the Uhuruto administration during their first term.
In Uhuruto’s case, Ruto was the kingmaker who falsely imagined that he had an equal standing with the king. Uhuru couldn’t tame Ruto in his first term for obvious reasons: he needed him to win a second term. One thing you can’t take away from Ruto is that he is a practical and ruthless schemer who minds less about the means so long as the end is achieved. Uhuruto needed Ruto to hand him a second term through all means necessary. So you can guess who did all the dirty jobs.
Now that Uhuru has been sworn in for a second term, albeit through questionable means, the son of Jomo has no option but to completely cut Ruto down to size if he’s to build some semblance of a legacy. Trust me you won’t be seeing Uhuruto in uniform shirts and trousers with matching ties anymore. There will be no more walking hand in hand, while giving each other friendly teenage-like pats on the back, after press conferences.
For starters, the two Jubilee top men’s current priorities are as different and as antagonistic as day and nigh; one of the main reasons why they can’t work as a team. While Ruto’s eyes are set on building a formidable team and amassing resources for his 2022 presidential bid, Uhuru will be keen on building a legacy by trying to right some of the serious missteps taken by his administration in his first term.
Since both plans can’t work simultaneously, one has to die a natural death. Now this will dependent on who between the two plays his cards well, but we all know who wields a bigger stick currently.
Already signs are all over that Uhuru is finally baring his fangs and claws. His first action in deconstructing Ruto is to dismantle the influential networks Ruto might have built in key government institutions in the last five years. The firing of DPP Keriako Tobiko and chief spy Ndegwa Muhoro was his first major shot at the impunity network that Ruto has built. More pro-Ruto CS’s will definitely go home.
Let nobody cheat you that those guys were not fired. You don’t just redeploy people whose offices have security of tenure. Resigning under orders from above is the polite way of firing government officials whose offices have security of tenure in Kenya.
From now on, expect fireworks in paradise as the season of pure Realpolitik is here with us. Uhuru will do all it takes to tame his erstwhile “friend” from now onwards. And guess who stands to gain from the Jubilee infights. NASA will be waiting in the wings to go for the kill.
Again, don’t be cheated that the Kikuyu nation owes Ruto any votes come 2022. In a democracy where people vote through secret ballot, it’s absolutely impossible to hold an entire community at ransom and force them to vote for any individual against their will.
Perhaps what we should all be very worried about is what Ruto has up his sleeve as a guarantee/collateral to manipulate the Kikuyu nation to vote for him in 2022. It must be something as dark as hell. Meanwhile, get your popcorns ready, the drama just began.
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