Stepping aside of Uhuru, Raila and Ruto can lead to national renewal

Uhuru Kenyatta and his estranged deputy, Dr William Ruto, both say all they want is the best for Kenya. The third man in the relationship, leader of the former opposition Raila Odinga, also insists he is motivated by the desire for a better country.

Unfortunately, all the people are seeing is the country being led down the cul-de-sac by the actions and utterances of their three principal leaders. Instead of programmes and activities designed to build a united, prosperous and just society, the leaders are engaged in endless competition for power.

Jostling ahead of the general election due in just over a year is proving divisive and destructive. The political formations taking root are, as usual, driven only by the lure of money, ethnic loyalty and personality cults rather than any redeeming ideological and policy frameworks. The leaders are pursuing the regressive politics that bring out the atavistic tendencies in our people and fan the flames of civil strife.

If the naked quest for political power and attendant benefits is the cause of our problems, then one might suggest that we put the 2022 elections on held until we put in place the enabling environment for a working democracy. Of course, suspending elections cannot be the answer — except for those of dictatorial bent ready to keep power against the will of the people.

It follows, then, that democracy and regular elections are not the problem. The cause of our travails must, therefore, be placed squarely on the shoulders of those we have placed atop the political totem pole. 

Mr Kenyatta, Dr Ruto and Mr Odinga must stand accused. Each one of them must plead guilty and seek forgiveness from the people of Kenya for greedy, selfish and destructive leadership.

Honest, upright figures

Apology, of course, is not just an empty word. The only way of atonement is by abandoning the obsessive quest to secure or hold on to power, or to otherwise seek exercise a malevolent influence on the outcome of the next elections.

All three would earn the eternal gratitude of Kenyans if they sacrificed personal ambition for the greater good. How would this work? Easy. 

First, Dr Ruto resigns as Deputy President. This will be followed by President Kenyatta almost simultaneously appointing a new deputy, a respected person selected from outside the usual political classes and ethnic formations. 

As soon as the new Deputy President is sworn-in, President Kenyatta resigns. The new man then assumes the presidency and proceeds to appoint his own deputy.

Both the new President and Deputy President will be honest, upright figures who are aware that they are running a transitional administration until the elections of August next year. They will have pledged not to seek substantive election for themselves with their main task being to oversee very deliberate mechanisms towards free, fair and competently managed polls.

Internal revolutions

They can also initiate a process of national healing and renewal, picking up where the Building Bridges Initiative left off to craft answers to already identified issues. There will be policy, administrative, statute law and even constitutional solutions to be looked at from short-, middle- and long-term perspectives.

It must be understood, however, that all outcomes must be informed by broad consensus of a national conversation and no major reshaping of the governance structure will benefit those holding political office or seeking office at the next elections.

If President Uhuru, Raila and Dr Ruto can step aside and take on the roles of statesmen, they can effectively provide the guidance and political support needed to craft a new dispensation. It follows that if the trio willingly take on such selfless tasks, all the other leaders caught up in the mire of destructive and exploitative political competition can be persuaded, or forced, to also put unbridled greed in check.

We have said before that only a revolution can rescue Kenya from the inexorable slide towards anarchy, economic collapse and the inevitable breakdown of law and order. A revolution need not always be a violent overthrow of the existing order but can also be guided by good men and women to the desired results.

Such steps, however, would be futile without our own internal revolutions. All of us need radical overhaul of our minds, our value systems, our moral compasses and our understanding of what Kenya is as a nation above the narrow and parochial tribal prisms. Only then can we be trusted to make the right choices at the ballot.

For avoidance of doubt, I have not inhaled any prohibited substances as I pen this.

[email protected]. @MachariaGaitho