In the run up to the 2013 General Election, Deputy President William Ruto famously came up with the “Analogue vs Digital” mantra, a slogan he coined as a dig at his perennial political rival, Raila Odinga.
The slogan portrayed Raila as an “analogue” politician stuck in the past who needed to hand over to the young, “digital” generation, which he, Ruto, and President Uhuru Kenyatta represented at the time.
Seven years later, with both President Kenyatta and Mr Ruto halfway into their second and final term, the slogan is coming back to haunt the DP as his use of the microblogging site Twitter borders on reckless haste. Yet, as they say, the Internet never forgets.
In the wake of the fake arms scandal that has lately rocked the Office of the Deputy President (ODP), Ruto’s use of Twitter has come into sharp focus, oftentimes creating the impression of a politician who engages the blogosphere without careful consideration of all facts.
It is understandable where he is coming from, because in the Trump era it has become fashionable for leaders, including heads of state and government, to run their own social media accounts, and even issue important statements or announcements on them.
But, to quote one of his key allies, “the DP is using Twitter the same way a trigger-happy police officer uses his gun.”
Whether it is the fake military tender scandal or last year’s Arror and Kimwarer dams infamy, Ruto has had to eat his words after he initially appeared to disparage those who broke news of the corruption schemes.
After the arrest of former Sports CS Rashid Echesa as he walked out of the ODP on allegations of making documents without authority last week, Ruto came out guns blazing, describing the claims as nonsense sponsored by his political rivals with the sole aim of undermining him.
He went further to discredit the narrative and but developed his own conspiracy theory that suggested that other than his office, other state agencies were involved in the scam but were not being investigated.
“ODP does not procure for any ministry or department,” Ruto charged on his Twitter handle on February 13, not denying the claims that Echesa had accessed his office on the material day.
“Question: Other than 23 minutes in Annex, for months, which government offices involved in the ‘tender’ did the scammers visit? Did they access DOD (Department of Defence)? Who facilitated? Who did they meet? Get the truth. Forget the sponsored nonsense in media.”
The reaction appeared similar to another one last year, when he stood before President Uhuru Kenyatta and contradicted the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) over claims that Sh21 billion had been lost in the Arror and Kimwarer dam projects in Elgeyo-Marakwet County, saying only the expenditure of Sh7 billion was in question.
“You have heard that the government has lost about Sh21 billion in Kimwarer and Arror dams, which is a flat lie. The money in question is about Sh7 billion, and for every coin that has been paid, we have a bank guarantee. No money will be lost because we are a responsible government.”
University of Nairobi (UoN) lecturer Winnie Mitula says the DP’s responses have always created the impression of a mixed-up and nonstrategic thinking that has ended up portraying him as an evasive leader.
“Usually, his first response to such contentious issues is always evasive, which does not augur well for the holder of such an office,” Prof Mitula says, suggesting that the DP should walk out of Twitter, or be careful with his posts.
“When you hold such an office, there are some considerations that you must make before you comment on weighty national issues. Rejecting an issue at the first instance creates the impression of a shifty person,” says Prof Mitula.
Another UoN lecturer, Mr Herman Manyora, says the character of shooting from the hip that is lately associated with the DP is a psychological behaviour borrowed from his court, and warns that it could be dangerous for a man of his political stature
“When you are surrounded by people over a long period of time, you end up trusting them,” Mr Manyora says. “If you frequently hang out with the likes of Oscar Sudi, Moses Kuria and Aisha Jumwa, who like shooting from the hip, they will have an impact on you.”
Given the effect of the Handshake and the Building Bridges Initiative, Mr Manyora adds, Mr Ruto has become more irritable after realising that the rift between him and the President is too wide to be narrowed.
“He is too quick, maybe ‘rushy’,” says Mr Manyora of the DP. “This kind of rushing is not good.”
Despite Mr Ruto’s astute defence of the two dams in Elgeyo-Marakwet, detectives went ahead to arrest and arraign in court former National Treasury CS Henry Rotich, PS Kamau Thugge and other public officials.
In September last year, the President cancelled the Sh22.2 billion Kimwarer dam project after an investigation established that it was technically and financially unfeasible, and issued an order for commencement of the Sh28.3 billion Arror project.
But, perhaps realising the folly of his tweet in the Echesa saga, the DP turned around and wrote a letter to the Inspector-General of Police Hilary Mutyambai, demanding an expedited probe into the fraud and offering that any of his staff found culpable should face the law.
“That is what he should have done at the first instance,” a Jubilee lawmaker who supports him told the Sunday Nation yesterday. “But it appears that the DP always has information that he desperately wants to pass out before he comes back to his senses.”