If there’s anything the title above accurately represents about the story of two Kenyans, namely President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Vice President William Ruto–––whose political marriage wasn’t only epic but also tragic or tragicomic–––is nothing but a metaphor of a labyrinth. Their story’s as fascinating as equally frustrating thanks to their fallout. I’m talking about the relationship that started as the coolest and coziest to end up as the corkiest and corniest. The said relationship’s irreparably hit the snag. Recently, the two proved this. The Building Bridge Initiative (BBI)–––Kenyatta and former PM Raila Odinga espouse–––recently sailed through smoothly despite Ruto’s camp opposition to it. That’s a big feat for Uhuru and Raila whom I’ll call UhuRaila and a defeat for Ruto, because it’s seen as a nuanced telltale for the 2022 presidential race between Raila and Ruto. Shall UhuRaila stay firm as UhuRuto flatly flops, it is easy to tell who the next president of Kenya will be.
The two former friends who once enjoyed dalliance, all along, no longer see eye to eye as they started when they shocked the world by snatching the presidency amidst indictments related to gross human rights violations in Kenya resulting from PEV-2007. They left the world gobsmacked when they survived the fangs of the International Criminal Court (ICC). They further stunned the world on how they used their indictments to win the presidency knowing that it’s the only way they’d survive ICC blitzkrieg. And indeed, they did. That’s because no Western country would like to see the president and his deputy being convicted and thereby allow such a strategic country cascade to anarchy pointlessly. Therefore, those who craftly advised the duo to take a shot at the presidency were dead right tactically.
Under their UhuRuto marriage, the duo stole the show thanks to their dalliance and behaving as identical twins who, to spice it up, were conjoined in the hip. However, as the days go, it seems. Soon, Ruto’ll meet his waterloo after Uhuru entered handshake with former nemesis-turned ally and buddy Odinga. Indeed, the handshake’s shaken the UhuRuto and sharpened UhuRaila. What used to be an enviable marriage’s but conspicuously deceptive and foolhardy. Its magic ghosted away a long time ago. It’s like a tomb, which shines outwardly while it’s always full of stench within. The grandiose appearance by the duo was but a mirage sort of marriage. Their inseparability became their susceptibility. Its fortes became its faintness. In other words, what used to be UhuRuto has become UhuRaila.
The two former friends who once enjoyed dalliance, all along, no longer see eye to eye as they started when they shocked the world by snatching the presidency amidst indictments related to gross human rights violations in Kenya resulting from PEV-2007. They left the world gobsmacked when they survived the fangs of the International Criminal Court (ICC). They further stunned the world on how they used their indictments to win the presidency knowing that it’s the only way they’d survive ICC blitzkrieg. And indeed, they did. That’s because no Western country would like to see the president and his deputy being convicted and thereby allow such a strategic country cascade to anarchy pointlessly. Therefore, those who craftly advised the duo to take a shot at the presidency were dead right tactically.
Under their UhuRuto marriage, the duo stole the show thanks to their dalliance and behaving as identical twins who, to spice it up, were conjoined in the hip. However, as the days go, it seems. Soon, Ruto’ll meet his waterloo after Uhuru entered handshake with former nemesis-turned ally and buddy Odinga. Indeed, the handshake’s shaken the UhuRuto and sharpened UhuRaila. What used to be an enviable marriage’s but conspicuously deceptive and foolhardy. Its magic ghosted away a long time ago. It’s like a tomb, which shines outwardly while it’s always full of stench within. The grandiose appearance by the duo was but a mirage sort of marriage. Their inseparability became their susceptibility. Its fortes became its faintness. In other words, what used to be UhuRuto has become UhuRaila.
Under UhuRuto, the duo used to don in their Sunday-go to-meeting clothes like two identical twins who happens to be menschen. That’s now long gone. The duo’s always avoiding each or send oft-off-the-cuff veiled messages to each other. One of them soon will be out of office while the other would die for it as the other occupies it if things remain as they are now. The duo’s affinity for power were converged and united when they’re seeking the office for the first and second times. Thereafter–––as it seemingly seems––they’ll go different and opposing routes. One’s fighting for a legacy while the other for largess that power brings. For Ruto, losing it out in the BBI tussle, his chickens have come home to roost as far as his aspirations for presidency are concerned. As for Raila, his eggs are in the safe basket. And Uhuru watches everything quietly so as to make many tongues wag.
In fact, what used to be the garden of Eden for the duo’s now become the way of the cross. Angst and animosity between the duo are alive and kicking. Between the duo, the stifling political heat resulting from cunning even conning has increased recently mostly from their–––a wee too charged and edgy–––proxies as their bosses give each other wide berth. Their utterances and pure bluffs or those of their proxies have attracted much attention and controversies. For example, Ruto clandestinely opposed the BBI but pretended to defend it whenever he’s caught hand in the cook jar sometimes.
In fact, what used to be the garden of Eden for the duo’s now become the way of the cross. Angst and animosity between the duo are alive and kicking. Between the duo, the stifling political heat resulting from cunning even conning has increased recently mostly from their–––a wee too charged and edgy–––proxies as their bosses give each other wide berth. Their utterances and pure bluffs or those of their proxies have attracted much attention and controversies. For example, Ruto clandestinely opposed the BBI but pretended to defend it whenever he’s caught hand in the cook jar sometimes.
Theoretically, Ruto’s in everything though practically, he chickened out a long time ago. For, when a dog wags its tail, it is a normal thing. However, when the tail wags the dog, this is a real deal. This occurred when Ruto used to attack Raila openly but fell short of doing the same to his boss who happens to be the latter’s buddy and partner in the BBI. Ruto has forgotten that Raila even without Uhuru resonates more with many Kenyans than himself. When they teamed up through handshake, Kenya’s ever since enjoyed peaceability sturdily something it didn’t cotton on for a long while.
Ruto has been opposing the government without getting out of it. Many people, especially Ruto’s enemies urged Kenyatta to fire or impeach him. Kenyatta kept mum and became a wise monkey that sees nothing, hears nothing and says nothing. His was simply to keep his foes closer and friends close. You can say. To my friends everything, to my enemies the law. That’s what’s ongoing in Kenya.
Ruto has been opposing the government without getting out of it. Many people, especially Ruto’s enemies urged Kenyatta to fire or impeach him. Kenyatta kept mum and became a wise monkey that sees nothing, hears nothing and says nothing. His was simply to keep his foes closer and friends close. You can say. To my friends everything, to my enemies the law. That’s what’s ongoing in Kenya.
While Kenyatta has kept his cool and silent, Raila and Ruto have always been involved in open rancour as their tool of propaganda and schemes. While Odinga enjoys his role in the second liberation of Kenya, Kenyatta and Ruto have the same ancestor to match, namely KANU, the former ruling party that ushered Kenya’s independence, which it later tainted.
In sum, UhuRuto has hit the rock. It is irreparably damaged. For, looking at how the two co-existed like a crash, we find that they looked like the same while they’re totally different in that one comes from the dynasty while the other from the hustler nation. A new moniker for those whose parents were not prominent in Kenyan political configuration. Now, it is not if but when the UhuRuto’ll buried and on its place sprouts UhuRaila. That’s the tragicomic narrative of UhuRaila. Again, will Ruto face his death with his usual smile? Indeed, Ruto has a bumpy and rocky road in fighting for his dear political life. However, one thing is obvious that the death of UhuRuto and the birth of UhuRaila doesn’t wipe Ruto out of Kenya’s political landscape. As you heard him saying, he might join anyone who has what it takes to take over from Kenyatta.
In sum, UhuRuto has hit the rock. It is irreparably damaged. For, looking at how the two co-existed like a crash, we find that they looked like the same while they’re totally different in that one comes from the dynasty while the other from the hustler nation. A new moniker for those whose parents were not prominent in Kenyan political configuration. Now, it is not if but when the UhuRuto’ll buried and on its place sprouts UhuRaila. That’s the tragicomic narrative of UhuRaila. Again, will Ruto face his death with his usual smile? Indeed, Ruto has a bumpy and rocky road in fighting for his dear political life. However, one thing is obvious that the death of UhuRuto and the birth of UhuRaila doesn’t wipe Ruto out of Kenya’s political landscape. As you heard him saying, he might join anyone who has what it takes to take over from Kenyatta.
Source: African Executive Magazine tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment