Rutashubanyuma
JF-Expert Member
- Sep 24, 2010
- 219,468
- 911,184
Though it was the former president Daniel Arap Moi who cut the political teeth of both Uhuru and Ruto but for some divine intervention it is Ruto and not Uhuru who has been the most effective power-broker in Kenyan history, todate!
Where Raila was the face of ODM and its most famour luminary but he had to eat a humble pie in 2007 when he gave Ruto a courtesy call, pleading with Ruto to join the ODM political fraternity. Raila dangled to Ruto a premier titular that was then a possibility and Ruto swallowed both the liner, hook, sinker among others not forgetting a sardine that was too appetizing for Ruto without a lingering doubt that he had succumbed to Raila's tons of devious schemes!
Following the bungled election of 2007, Ruto's expectations of being the first premier of Kenya were quickly overtaken by Raila's unyielding quest to lead Kenya and Ruto was hassled to accept playing second and sometimes third fiddle in Raila's kitchen table. Later in a Machiavellian principles Raila fired Ruto from the cabinet on questionable grounds of "accountability."
But before Raila had cashed in on Ruto's popularity wind in the Rift Valley, Ruto's mentor -Daniel Arap Toroitich Moi- had exploited Ruto's vast organizational skills in 1992- being the first and most likely last reintroduction of multiparty elections in Kenya - where Ruto had teamed up with Jirongo in what was then dubbed Y2K. The duo mercilessly led to Moi's retention of power at expense of disunited opposition and a massive loss of value of Kenyan shilling, after billions were printed to fund Moi's reelection bid!
Even Moi had to test Ruto's political skills when in 1997 Moi preferred another candidate to ascend to parliament in Kanu's ticket but Ruto stood his ground and delivered Moi one of the most painful loss in the Kalenjin political arena. Ruto went on to become an MP through Kanu ticket and later on one of the most trusted lieutenant in Moi's kalenjin sub-tribe kitchen cabinet.
Ruto's political skills have been tested severally and not in all occasions he has prevailed. In 2002 he was with Uhuru following the massive stampede that Raila had manufactured to lead kanu insiders such as Saitoti, kalonzo Musyoka among others out of the then ruling party in a sheer protest of Moi annointing his protege Uhuru Kenyatta as his successor.
Where Raila was dissed by the Kenyatta dynasty rearing her "ugly" head again in expense of the Odiga one the rest of the hullabaloo against Uhuru were based on illogical assumptions: That Uhuru was a political underweight not ready to lead! If that argument was true you would have expected the Raila led faction to endorse Uhuru in 2013 presidential elections something he would not have done and did not do. However, that is subject for another day.
In the rejection of Boma's inspired constitution both Raila and Ruto were in the ODM camp and prevailed to convince Kenyans that the document was not good for them. However, in 2010 Ruto tested his first serious defeat when the Kenyan constitution was approved through a referendum but Ruto still showed that he was the man to watch in the control of the vast Rift valley voting block. Most votes in the Rift valley were against the new constitution just as Ruto had urged his followers to observe! He is indeed, the unsung hero of kenya politics, so far....................at least in my crystal ball.
With this hindsight and knowing Raila's source of stay in power was nobody but Ruto, Uhuru's handlers urged him to renew his Kanu links with Ruto and the rest is the history that leads to Uhuru's swear in ceremony on Tuesday.
With the Kalenjin and Kikuyu vote in the Jubilee's bag- and most of those who sympathized with Raila except the Luo-Nyanza voting block, in 2013 election now abandoning Raila in a huff- I expect Uhuru and Ruto to rule Kenya for the next twenty years and beyond........................unless, of-course Uhuru goes back to what the duo had agreed to; prior to this election. In absence of a political betrayal, I anticipate that historians will record William Ruto as a political giant who shaped the history of post-independent Kenya than any other modern politician despite exuding a humble facade..............
Where Raila was the face of ODM and its most famour luminary but he had to eat a humble pie in 2007 when he gave Ruto a courtesy call, pleading with Ruto to join the ODM political fraternity. Raila dangled to Ruto a premier titular that was then a possibility and Ruto swallowed both the liner, hook, sinker among others not forgetting a sardine that was too appetizing for Ruto without a lingering doubt that he had succumbed to Raila's tons of devious schemes!
Following the bungled election of 2007, Ruto's expectations of being the first premier of Kenya were quickly overtaken by Raila's unyielding quest to lead Kenya and Ruto was hassled to accept playing second and sometimes third fiddle in Raila's kitchen table. Later in a Machiavellian principles Raila fired Ruto from the cabinet on questionable grounds of "accountability."
But before Raila had cashed in on Ruto's popularity wind in the Rift Valley, Ruto's mentor -Daniel Arap Toroitich Moi- had exploited Ruto's vast organizational skills in 1992- being the first and most likely last reintroduction of multiparty elections in Kenya - where Ruto had teamed up with Jirongo in what was then dubbed Y2K. The duo mercilessly led to Moi's retention of power at expense of disunited opposition and a massive loss of value of Kenyan shilling, after billions were printed to fund Moi's reelection bid!
Even Moi had to test Ruto's political skills when in 1997 Moi preferred another candidate to ascend to parliament in Kanu's ticket but Ruto stood his ground and delivered Moi one of the most painful loss in the Kalenjin political arena. Ruto went on to become an MP through Kanu ticket and later on one of the most trusted lieutenant in Moi's kalenjin sub-tribe kitchen cabinet.
Ruto's political skills have been tested severally and not in all occasions he has prevailed. In 2002 he was with Uhuru following the massive stampede that Raila had manufactured to lead kanu insiders such as Saitoti, kalonzo Musyoka among others out of the then ruling party in a sheer protest of Moi annointing his protege Uhuru Kenyatta as his successor.
Where Raila was dissed by the Kenyatta dynasty rearing her "ugly" head again in expense of the Odiga one the rest of the hullabaloo against Uhuru were based on illogical assumptions: That Uhuru was a political underweight not ready to lead! If that argument was true you would have expected the Raila led faction to endorse Uhuru in 2013 presidential elections something he would not have done and did not do. However, that is subject for another day.
In the rejection of Boma's inspired constitution both Raila and Ruto were in the ODM camp and prevailed to convince Kenyans that the document was not good for them. However, in 2010 Ruto tested his first serious defeat when the Kenyan constitution was approved through a referendum but Ruto still showed that he was the man to watch in the control of the vast Rift valley voting block. Most votes in the Rift valley were against the new constitution just as Ruto had urged his followers to observe! He is indeed, the unsung hero of kenya politics, so far....................at least in my crystal ball.
With this hindsight and knowing Raila's source of stay in power was nobody but Ruto, Uhuru's handlers urged him to renew his Kanu links with Ruto and the rest is the history that leads to Uhuru's swear in ceremony on Tuesday.
With the Kalenjin and Kikuyu vote in the Jubilee's bag- and most of those who sympathized with Raila except the Luo-Nyanza voting block, in 2013 election now abandoning Raila in a huff- I expect Uhuru and Ruto to rule Kenya for the next twenty years and beyond........................unless, of-course Uhuru goes back to what the duo had agreed to; prior to this election. In absence of a political betrayal, I anticipate that historians will record William Ruto as a political giant who shaped the history of post-independent Kenya than any other modern politician despite exuding a humble facade..............
