Professor at SUNY Buffalo Law School and Chair of the KHRC.What you need to know:
What you need to know:
Not even the Deep State will be able to stop Mr Ruto from cannibalising Mr Moi.
Mr Ruto will chew up Mr Moi by 8am on Election Day.In Luke 12:48, the Good Book admonishes: “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required.” If this pithy aphorism applies to Baringo Senator Gideon Moi, then we may wait for an eternity. That’s because Senator Moi, the scion of the late Daniel arap Moi — Kenya’s longest ruling dictator — doesn’t have the goods to accept greatness.
There are credible suspicions Jubilee’s Uhuru Kenyatta, the offspring of the Burning Spear himself, is plotting to anoint Senator Moi as his successor in State House. I can see how that could happen because Kenya hasn’t been particularly ruled by talented men. However, imagining Mr Moi as President Moi stretches credulity. Let’s dig deeper as I peel your eyes.
We know the narrative. Mzee Jomo Kenyatta stuck with VP Moi even as the mafia around him worked hard to knock him out of the line of succession. That’s what saved Mr Moi, who would go on to bestride Kenya like a colossus for a quarter century. It’s said Mr Moi never forgot Mzee’s loyalty. Pundits believe that’s why Mr Moi picked Mr Kenyatta, a political greenhorn in 2002, to succeed him.
Bolted from Kanu
Left in the dust by Mr Moi were bigwigs such as then Kanu Secretary-General Raila Odinga, VP George Saitoti, and Mwingi’s ex-Kanu blue-eyed boy Kalonzo Musyoka. The trio immediately bolted from Kanu and formed Narc with DP’s Mwai Kibaki, who gave Mr Kenyatta a historic drubbing.
Mr Kenyatta went down to Mr Kibaki and Narc’s juggernaut, but he did so fighting. I didn’t, of course, support Kanu, or Mr Kenyatta. Nevertheless, the man from Gatundu acquitted himself admirably, given that he was barely out of his political diapers. I could hear and see his fighting spirit that at times evoked memories of his famous dad. He fought admirably — and lost graciously.
It was partially that experience and opportunity, handed to him by Mr Moi, which would later propel him to the helm of the country. Mr Moi had planted a political seed and lived to see it germinate. Mr Kenyatta shouldn’t, however, think he can replicate Mr Moi’s script. Senator Moi isn’t Mr Kenyatta’s facsimile.
Afraid of greatness
In William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, it’s written: “Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.” While it’s arguable whether the truism applies to Mr Kenyatta, there’s no debate — none — that it doesn’t apply to Mr Moi.
Mr Moi was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, where it has remained stuck because he’s unable to capitalise on it. He doesn’t have any embers of fire in him and is as emotionless as a Swiss banker. I don’t condemn him for these deficits, but it’s the wrong DNA for a politician.
It’s no wonder Mr Moi has been DP William Ruto’s roadkill among the Kalenjin in the Rift Valley. Truth be told, Mr Ruto, a pugnacious and hard charging fellow, has easily eaten Mr Moi’s lunch among the children of nationalist hero Koitalel arap Samoei. The quickest route to State House for Mr Ruto is for Mr Kenyatta to choose Mr Moi as his protagonist. Mr Ruto will chew up Mr Moi by 8am on Election Day. Not even the Deep State will be able to stop Mr Ruto from cannibalising Mr Moi. Mr Kenyatta must immediately drop this bad idea and thank me later. If not, he hands Mr Ruto power on a silver platter.
Write me a cheque
Mr Kenyatta, who’s reportedly a stubborn man, can stick to his guns and say “Moi Tosha”. In that case, he should write me a cheque now so that I can laugh all the way to the bank before the inevitable happens.
I have a strong feeling there are others who can stop Mr Ruto. Mr Moi is an unfinished product, and shouldn’t be in the conversation.
Just think about this: what’s Mr Moi known for? I submit to you his fame comes from three things, none of which is from the sweat of his brow.
The first is that Mr Moi is the son of Daniel arap Moi, a dictator. The second is that he can’t pronounce Baringo, which he represents in the Senate, in any recognisable way. To him, Baringo is some alien place called Beringo as in B-E-R-I-N-G-O. That’s a failed Anglicisation of Baringo. The last headscratcher is Mr Moi’s miserable attempt to pronounce “daktari” [Kiswahili for “Dr” or “PhD”]. To him the word is “Doktari.”
I know some make fun of my pronunciation of the name Kenyatta as “Kenyarra”. That’s a relatively minor crime, and no one has argued that it indicates my being out of touch with local realities.
@makaumutua.
We know the narrative. Mzee Jomo Kenyatta stuck with VP Moi even as the mafia around him worked hard to knock him out of the line of succession. That’s what saved Mr Moi, who would go on to bestride Kenya like a colossus for a quarter century. It’s said Mr Moi never forgot Mzee’s loyalty. Pundits believe that’s why Mr Moi picked Mr Kenyatta, a political greenhorn in 2002, to succeed him.
Bolted from Kanu
Left in the dust by Mr Moi were bigwigs such as then Kanu Secretary-General Raila Odinga, VP George Saitoti, and Mwingi’s ex-Kanu blue-eyed boy Kalonzo Musyoka. The trio immediately bolted from Kanu and formed Narc with DP’s Mwai Kibaki, who gave Mr Kenyatta a historic drubbing.
Mr Kenyatta went down to Mr Kibaki and Narc’s juggernaut, but he did so fighting. I didn’t, of course, support Kanu, or Mr Kenyatta. Nevertheless, the man from Gatundu acquitted himself admirably, given that he was barely out of his political diapers. I could hear and see his fighting spirit that at times evoked memories of his famous dad. He fought admirably — and lost graciously.
It was partially that experience and opportunity, handed to him by Mr Moi, which would later propel him to the helm of the country. Mr Moi had planted a political seed and lived to see it germinate. Mr Kenyatta shouldn’t, however, think he can replicate Mr Moi’s script. Senator Moi isn’t Mr Kenyatta’s facsimile.
Afraid of greatness
In William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, it’s written: “Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.” While it’s arguable whether the truism applies to Mr Kenyatta, there’s no debate — none — that it doesn’t apply to Mr Moi.
Mr Moi was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, where it has remained stuck because he’s unable to capitalise on it. He doesn’t have any embers of fire in him and is as emotionless as a Swiss banker. I don’t condemn him for these deficits, but it’s the wrong DNA for a politician.
It’s no wonder Mr Moi has been DP William Ruto’s roadkill among the Kalenjin in the Rift Valley. Truth be told, Mr Ruto, a pugnacious and hard charging fellow, has easily eaten Mr Moi’s lunch among the children of nationalist hero Koitalel arap Samoei. The quickest route to State House for Mr Ruto is for Mr Kenyatta to choose Mr Moi as his protagonist. Mr Ruto will chew up Mr Moi by 8am on Election Day. Not even the Deep State will be able to stop Mr Ruto from cannibalising Mr Moi. Mr Kenyatta must immediately drop this bad idea and thank me later. If not, he hands Mr Ruto power on a silver platter.
Write me a cheque
Mr Kenyatta, who’s reportedly a stubborn man, can stick to his guns and say “Moi Tosha”. In that case, he should write me a cheque now so that I can laugh all the way to the bank before the inevitable happens.
I have a strong feeling there are others who can stop Mr Ruto. Mr Moi is an unfinished product, and shouldn’t be in the conversation.
Just think about this: what’s Mr Moi known for? I submit to you his fame comes from three things, none of which is from the sweat of his brow.
The first is that Mr Moi is the son of Daniel arap Moi, a dictator. The second is that he can’t pronounce Baringo, which he represents in the Senate, in any recognisable way. To him, Baringo is some alien place called Beringo as in B-E-R-I-N-G-O. That’s a failed Anglicisation of Baringo. The last headscratcher is Mr Moi’s miserable attempt to pronounce “daktari” [Kiswahili for “Dr” or “PhD”]. To him the word is “Doktari.”
I know some make fun of my pronunciation of the name Kenyatta as “Kenyarra”. That’s a relatively minor crime, and no one has argued that it indicates my being out of touch with local realities.
@makaumutua.
Source: Sunday Nation
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