UhuRuto was a timely, necessary but, ultimately, unholy, rickety and leaking alliance replete with indecent indulgences and pretentious camaraderie amidst governance indiscretions.
The duo’s pact, with our unequivocal support, was specifically to: repulse ICC fabrications; unite and end Kalenjin-Kikuyu hatred and war; realise Uhuru’s goal to be president; and give Ruto a chance to be deputy president.
These were duly achieved. However, nothing came of the rosy manifesto we launched at Kasarani in 2013. The schools’ laptops project, for instance, would have come in handy during the Covid-19 pandemic. Graft is to blame. We would be feeding all schoolchildren with Galana-Kulalu 1 million acre harvest.
I know for a fact that after the 2017 elections, Uhuru was not keen on renewing his partnership with Ruto. Also, until very late in the hour Ruto wanted to run for President himself, probably to also “run” then demand space on the high table, and do a Kalonzo 2007. No pun intended.
Whatever was “negotiated” to overturn and condense the duo’s mutual ambitions into one, only the two truly know. Meanwhile Raila too wanted Ruto back in ODM with URP as an affiliate. Even today, a reunion of R and R is a possibility, though remote.
It is good for Kenya that UhuRuto is falling apart. It was an unholy alliance ab initio. From 2013 to 2017, anyone who tried to correct Ruto concerning his boss was thrown out of the palace. Ruto’s men knew what they wanted from Uhuru, and they got everything.
Though we fear saying it, we from TNA suffered alienation and punishment, within Parliament and outside. If, like myself, you rooted for dialogue with Raila Odinga, Musalia Mudavadi or Kalonzo Musyoka, you faced wrath.
Of course, it was not always regrets, but it is good to admit that tough times prevailed. Unfortunately, some ‘agents’ in Parliament became ‘spies’; anything you said in good faith got you into big trouble. Calls and summonses. Or blue-eyed emissaries.
Ruto is also not fighting Uhuru. Bill is fighting for his ‘promised’ space. The danger lies in Uhuru and Ruto reuniting, and getting Raila to adopt the truce. There will be implosions in ODM and JP. The ensuing fallout will give us new ‘energy’ for a national rebirth.
Believers find solace in Ecclesiastics 3:1, there is a season for everything. The promise of a new season fortified the heart. Unfortunately, the hopes on BBI/handshake are now gone, thanks to the perception of selective graft fight. Time has also conspired to collapse a hitherto large dream.
In a nutshell, Uhuru is not fighting Ruto. It is the deep contradictions in the formation of UhuRuto that have now ripened. The rainbow never emerged. Similarly, I see hypocrisies in those singing about Raila yet in 2015-16 and in October 2017 brutally fought those of us insisting on engaging Agwambo for lasting unity.
What has changed? Has Tinga mellowed sufficiently or aged enough to be trusted to lack the gusto to disrupt crooks emptying the troughs? Or has he himself become captive of accomplices within his guard to abandon his anti-corruption credentials?
To me, Ruto is also not fighting Uhuru. Bill is fighting for his ‘promised’ space. The danger lies in Uhuru and Ruto reuniting, and getting Raila to adopt the truce. There will be implosions in ODM and JP. The ensuing fallout will give us new ‘energy’ for a national rebirth.
Raila has the people, Ruto has the people and Uhuru has the power. But the trio should only call a truce after all their confidantes are arrested, tried and jailed for looting this country. And if any of them has benefitted directly or indirectly from the looting, they should seek redemption by owning up and making bold declarations to receive clemency.
For now let’s see more bravado, conflict and friction from and to each camp. It is good for country. Let Ruto be, let Raila be, let Uhuru be.
Let’s all fight graft. No major political party is at peace. Not even ODM. This is for the public’s good. Internal dissent helps foster our nascent democracy. Monolithic outfits are bad.
God’s grace will give us triumph. As we fight mercenaries, crooks and thieves, we take solace in God’s word captured in Psalms 121:1: we look to the mountains; where will our help come from? Our help will come from the Lord. And, Romans 8:31: if God is for us who can be against us?
A national rebirth is coming. There is hope in the horizon. We shall overcome. Aluta continua.