Currently, in Kenya and partly the region, Covid-19 pandemic and the so-called political divorce involving UhuRuto marriage are the more prominently talked about things than anything else because of their effects and impacts on the politics of the country. When it comes to Covid-19 pandemic, there’s nothing new despite all warnings and heads-up on it. What’s new is the way[s] we’re going to pull all the stops and make do with it sensibly and scientifically––shall we aspire and want to survive it as an able and sane people. Denialism and hoo-has that we’ve already experienced in some quarters won’t help anybody. As well, neither bravery nor fear will help us but our levelheadedness.
However, on the daunting divorce menace that’s currently buffeting the UhuRuto political marriage, which shocked many––after former two suspects secured victory in the 2012 Kenyan general elections and formed the government––seems to attract many. It’s now an open secret that two Kenyan politicians that once enjoyed curt political and power coquetry, after escaping the fangs of the International Criminal Court in the Hague, namely President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto, no longer see eye to eye or enjoy their bromance-cum-dalliance. What went terribly wrong? To know what went wrong, today, we’re taking a break from Covid-19 after being told that it’s here to dauntingly stay. We’re addressing the divorce because it’s here to pass just soon after the political showdown is over between the two. Before going further, please don’t say that there are some handshake, or headshake, that seem to have shaken the marriage. What’s certainly clear is that the shakeup is inevitable between the two big cheeses.
Those who know how UhuRuto chimeric and mule-like marriage came into being will agree with us that it’s a marriage of handiness whose one and only reason was to circumvent ICC encumbrance resulting from the cases instituted against Uhuru and Ruto as the kingpins of the Post-Election Violence of 2007. That’s because the duo’s in two antagonistic sides of Kenya political divide. This shows us how there’s no love between the couple but necessity, mere and sheer necessity but not love or anything close to. Nonetheless, after being in bed for over almost eight years without any more taste except veiled con and machinations, the duo is no longer interested in marriage or anything close to or like it. Thus, they seem hell-bent to sever everything that brought them together. First of all, the danger that the ICC posed are long gone. Thus, believe you me; the die had to be cast to end the marriage. Secondly, the duo has two conflictual and divergent agenda while the former works for a good legacy that’ll outlive his power while the latter has been nursing his presidential ambitions that seem to be cut short soon.
Thirdly, those who know how such tenuously tricky nuptials are entered will agree with us that UhuRuto posed to hit a snag even rock-bottom, soon the ICC failed to convict all or any of them. After freeing themselves from the fangs of the ICC, everybody started to think how to free himself from another and go back to normalcy. At this point and time, Ruto’s geese were to be roasted. This is normal for humans, especially the antagonistic ones. Who wants to always sleep in the same bed with his or her nemesis? Even a chippie wouldn’t regale such a peril.
Before proceeding with the proceedings of the nastiest and noisiest divorce, it’s important to mention that the likely loser in this tussle seems to have not learned from Kenya’s political narration and narrative. I once heard him saying that subjects such as history need not to be taught in universities. Thanks to his ignorance of history, now he needs it to help him swim this muddier water is in. Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel once put it, “we learn from history that we do not learn from history.” Kenya’s political history shows that no VP’s ever made it to the Presidency except by way of accident as it happened for former President Daniel arap Moi who took office after the death of his boss Jomo Kenyatta. What’d have happened hadn’t Kenyatta died; nobody knows. The second VP to become president is Mwai Kibaki whose way to power also has something to do with an accident. This accident was Moi’s arrogance that sowed the seed of destruction within his party after deceiving many politicos in his party and settled for a rookie, current president to inherit his office. Tired of Moi and his manipulations, Kenyans decided to punish him by refusing his protegee to become their president for fear that Moi would still rule and run Kenya by proxy.
Kenya has had ten VPs since independence; and its only two who were able to become presidents. The rest were betrayed by their bosses namely Kenyatta, Moi and Kibaki. Who knew that Kenyatta would roast Jaramogi who forsook his chance of becoming Kenya’s first president and offered it to Kenyatta to end up being betrayed? Who thought that Moi would betray George Saitoti the man who’d never raised voice to his boss despite being highly educated than him? Who think Kibaki would prefer Uhuru––the person he beat in the 2002 elections, became the third president of Kenya thereof––to Kalonzo––whom he abandoned? Who’d think that Kibaki tosha––the mantra-cum-meme Odinga used to propel Kibaki to power––would be turned into Raila toka or Raila out? When it comes to trust, you can take tis to the bank. For, on earth, you can trust everybody except a politician and prostitute. Can Uhuru gambol Ruto and support Raila Odinga the person he ‘conquered’ in the last elections as was the case in the Kibaki and Kalonzo? Deeply ensnared, twosome’s rolling antics, gambits and theatrics speak volume that that’s what’s going to happen come Kenya’s 2022 elections. What’s obvious is that if Uhuru successfully used Ruto to become president is a reality while, to the contrary, Ruto seems to have had failed to use Uhuru to become president. he underestimated him for his peril and the fact that Uhuru is Moi’s mentee. However, the duo must congratulate themselves for using one another to avoid decaying behind ingots vis-à-vis the PEV case[s] they faced before the ICC.
In a nutshell, for Ruto to make it to presidency, he needs to go to the drawing board and wait for the 2027 elections. More importantly, there are three things Ruto can cash on or be cagey about. One, he must wish he’d be alive physically and politically that time. Two, he must still be politically germane at that time. And thirdly, like was in the case of Kibaki and his ascend to presidency, he’d take it easy. This isn’t the end of the world. More blessed are those who listen than those who talk. Listen to and seriously take this for your survival––and ignore it for your peril.
Source: African Executive Magazine.
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