To Win Over Odinga, Ruto Must Counter Prevailing Narratives

 

Although Kenya’s general election’s a few months away, it’s easy to accurately presage the hit and the dud. This becomes much easier since––––as many Kenyan analysts put it that the coming election’s but a two-horse race––––namely, Azimio la Umoja’s candidate, former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga, who’s copiously backed by the outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto, deputy president who’s currently involved in tiffs with his boss who abandoned him by openly declaring backing their former nemesis. 
Between the two, today, we’ll examine how one of the horses, deputy president William Ruto has a murky way ahead compared to his challenger. FYI, Odinga seems to have already gained more lunge than Ruto after securing Kenyatta’s endorsement. This means, Ruto needs to overcome that and other following hurdles.  
Firstly, Ruto must believably and skillfully explain to Kenyan voters why his boss has, among many, distrusted and ditched him, especially at this hour of need. Are there any ethical flaws or some scores to settle among the duos or what? What’s it that we don’t know but need to know that set[s] the two bromantic friends asunder? Kenyatta’s recently quoted as saying that Ruto’s over ambitious, impatient, and didn’t do his work since he spent five years on the car-rooftops campaigning prematurely in lieu of serving Kenyans while he enjoyed all emoluments for doing nothing. Kenyatta said it openly that Ruto spent almost five years conducting premature campaigns instead of serving Kenyan people whose office he’s been mis/using, up until now for personal interests not to mention being paid his salary and emoluments without working.
Secondly, with veiled attacks, Kenyatta accused his deputy of extra-large or malodourous venality. He challenged Ruto to tell Kenyans how he made the money he dishes out like nobody’s business wherever he goes without robbing them. African sage’s it that if you eat poo, you’ll smell poo. Without naming names, Kenyatta insinuated that some of the monies his deputy folks out like crazy are the proceeds of corruption among which are the projects of Arror and Kimwarer dams that have never lifted off from the drawing board.
  Thirdly, Ruto needs to rethink about his wheelbarrow honestly and seriously since he preaches wheelbarrow and lives helicopters. He needs to understand that this priscus tool doesn’t enthuse any sane person even himself. Who needs a trolley at the age of advanced technology? Wheelbarrow promise reminds Kenyans of his promise of laptops. Are pushcarts laptops? How many computers has he ever delivered, when and where? On top of wheelbarrow, Ruto needs to rethink about his other philosophy of hustler. He preaches water and drinks wine. He calls himself a hustler while actually he’s but a nawab.  This becomes a hard nut to crack since Ruto’s true life is practically that of tycoon who can afford to dish out millions of shillings not to mention living like a Gulf Emir or sheik. Can any sane bin-Adam believe that the guy who owns five choppers and a couple of hotels, mansions and plots is a hustler? Who’s duping and fooling whom here?
Fourthly, Ruto needs to revisit his membership carefully and honestly to YK’92, which left many Kenyans with scars thanks to a coldblooded dictatorial and venal regime under Daniel arap Moi, his cloner and mentor who, however, dismissed him before his death.
        Fifthly, although Odinga, another Ruto’s mentor is his competitor, he too disowned and distrusted him because of his bad behaviour of wanting to use others as his stairways to power.
Sixthly, Ruto must earnestly reconsider his diplomatic savoir-faire. Who’s forgotten how he recently demeaned and piqued the DRC averring that it has no even a single bovine so as to cause tantrums in Kinshasa to shoot through the roof? As if this wasn’t enough, Ruto recently visited the US with the entourage of tens of eaters even before ascending to the mighty seat of power. This has its telltale ramifications for Ruto, which are definitely not good for Kenya and himself.  Who funded this eating and dallying spree in the first place? Methinks. Was there any necessity really? Kenyan voters and manmade paupers would badly and quickly like Ruto to show cause how he minted and printed such dosh to be sure that he’s the man of probity in whose hand to entrust their country. Kenyans would like to know the miracle the former kuku seller–––whose salary is public–––performed to amass such mammoth mammon. Who wants to entrust the thief to guard the gem? Methinks. Here the right thing to do for Ruto’s to borrow a leaf from the wisdom of Andrew Jackson, former US president who says “you are a den of vipers and thieves. I intend to rout you out and by eternal God, I will rout you out.” Ruto needs to prove that this wisdom doesn’t apply to him.
After dissecting Ruto and his mangled comportment, let’s briefly show cause of force as to why Odinga is poised to win over Ruto. Honestly and openly consider the following nuggets of wisdom:
First, Odinga’s impeccable history of peacemaking is an asset not to mention coalition forming. His twice handshakes speak volumes. He shook hand with Mwai Kibaki that resulted in the end of hostilities after the Post-Election Violence2007/08 under the so-called nusu mkate, namely power sharing or half bread for each of two. To kill it, he repeated it in 2018, which culminated in the peace Kenya is now enjoying. Lest we forget. Odinga, apart from being clean comparably, he’s a nationalist and a pan-Africanist and this gives him more edge over his challenger.
Secondly, Odinga’s another feather in his cap, his sacrificial contribution to the struggle for second liberation, which, essentially was hindered by Moi and his standbys among who’s Ruto. For millions of Kenyans who either suffered directly or indirectly or those whose members of family were victimized, Odinga isn’t an ordinary politician but a hero who contributed dearly and hugely to not only their liberation but also to their practical joie de vivre.
Thirdly, Odinga’s another wand, his personal charisma. The man’s likeable and relatable if I can borrow the words of Prof Makau Mutua. For example, those who were jailed under Moi dictatorship, Odinga looks like them. For those who were tortured, this is their man. Those who were robbed, this is their typical replica. Historically, while Ruto’s cloned by and related to the perpetrators, Odinga’s a victim with other victims.
I’ve touched on diplomacy. While Ruto antagonised other nations either by throwing muds at them or teaming up with stinking two-bit potentates like the one in the neighbouring country I’d not want to divulge today, Odinga’s always either associated himself with democrats or reputable leaders such as the late John Magufuli and Olusegun Obasanjo among many. This has positive ramifications for a person who wants to lead Kenya and Kenya in general.
In a nutshell, considering the above facts, the so-called two-horse race is nothing but the race between a horse and a donkey. Who’s a donkey and horse, just review the facts above.

Source: African Executive Magazine tomorrow.