Saturday, February 27, 2021 -Building Bridges Initiative BBI politics have presented Deputy President William Ruto with a difficult path he never ever anticipated.
It is even easier for one to assume, in their first term and partly second, Uhuru Kenyatta was fattening his Deputy for slaughter if what is happening in the country currently is anything one can go by.
I have heard people claim that Raila was being played by Uhuru who was preparing him for a knife through their March 2018 Handshake but as things are now, and as a seasoned political writer, I can authoritatively say that this was not the case.
I remember when Uhuru would join Ruto in condemning anyone who would dare talk about changing the Constitution. Ruto would then pick that and say it louder. “Hakuna Kubadilisha katiba sisi tuko busy kuwafanyia wananchi kazi ili maisha yao ibadilike”.
And this game continued but Raila in his authoritative style piled more pressure and now see who is laughing today? Ruto couldn’t see this coming. I guess Uhuru had used Raila to prepare the country for a Referendum.
And now here comes a time when Ruto mostly at night would feel like screaming his terror the hell out amid BBI success as Uhuru who had also rejected conversations to do with a Referendum now fully in support of this course. Simply put, Ruto is now badly exposed. His future is not so good in politics. It is upside down and he seems to have little option left for him. For example, when he thinks about opposing the BBI, he remembers he is alone and can’t alone run against the State machinery. He knows what it can do in any election. He has been there and he knows this very well! When he thinks about standing on the fence, his supporters start baying for his blood day and night for being an undecided betrayer; and lastly when he claims his mind solely focused on 2022, he is quickly accused of early campaigns by his rivals. The loud noise is all over. That is what historians call ‘the ghost that haunts a politician when he least expected’. It is terrifying!
That said, to escape the jaws of a crocodile, one has to push his or her thumbs right into its eyes. Running can never be the first solution and so is Ruto’s situation. He must stand and face this reality. His supporters want a clear direction. He must be reminded that abandoning a course he has been preaching about all along will affect his support base. In case he does that, he will not go unpunished. This is politics it has no room to flip flop.
While in Kapsisiywa Nandi on Friday February 26, he said he can work with any Constitution than comes his way which to me is a very reckless and sick statement from a man who is supposed to give his supporters one direction to follow. A leader who doesn’t care about a Constitution is a dangerous leader. “Iwe hii katiba ama yenye inakuja mimi niko tayari kufanyia wanachi kazi (This BBI issue should not worry you. There’s no loss, if it’s passed or not. I’m well prepared for the bigger fight),” Mr Ruto said while in Nandi County.
I have also heard his allies claim that they will go with what is there for now, but once they take power, they will repeal every BBI Clause from the Constitution. sadly, this is the reality Kenyans must prepare for if the DP wins the 2022 elections.
It goes without saying that next time, Ruto should stop concentrating on the outside body language of his political partners and rival and instead focus on their nitty details. It will help.