Why is Ruto still in office?” This was the very legitimate question posed in a Daily Nation banner headline last year that had then-Deputy President William Ruto livid with rage and marking some editors for retribution.
Dr Ruto was traipsing the country claiming credit for government development projects as he pushed his bid for president. From the other side of his mouth, however, he was leading an open insurgency against the government of President Uhuru Kenyatta. He was rebelling against the very regime of which he was Number Two.
Dr Ruto is now firmly installed at State House, and seeing his deputy and presumptive heir singing a different song.
It might be premature to assume that the partnership between President Ruto and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is irretrievably broken as was the once-fabled UhuRuto bromance.
But how the two men are pulling in different directions is being seen in interpretations from various subtle messages rather than open and direct confrontation.
What stands out is that, in very publicly voicing opposition to the ongoing national dialogue that has representatives of the President’s and opposition leader Raila Odinga’s seated around a table at Bomas of Kenya, Mr Gachagua is rebelling against an initiative sponsored by his boss.
He is also threatening to lead a walkout of the Mount Kenya faction of the governing Kenya Kwanza Alliance if the Bomas talks result in a ‘handshake’ moment (read political accommodation between Dr Ruto and Mr Odinga).
The President has never responded to Gachagua’s rubbishing of the national dialogue but, on his part, delivered a very public repudiation of his controversial ‘shareholder’ statements.
While on a tour of Mr Odinga’s Nyanza regional bedrock, President Ruto gave various assurances that national resources were to be shared by all, irrespective of political inclinations or voting patterns.
This was seen as a renunciation of Gachagua’s mantra that appointment to public office and distribution of development resources was exclusive preserve of those who voted for Kenya Kwanza.
What makes that standpoint particularly offensive is the implication that ‘shareholders’ entitled to hog the national cake are the ethnic political formations and regions that voted for Kenya Kwanza, to the exclusion and continued marginalisation of the rest of Kenyans.
The President dismissing such thinking as “primitive and backward” amounts to a stinging indictment of the position pushed by his own deputy. But Mr Gachagua is showing that he is not one to turn tail and flee.
While dismissing talk of a rift with the President as a creation of media and Kenya Kwanza foes, he is also making very transparent moves to bolster his political base in the event of a showdown within the regime.
Gachagua’s base is the Mt Kenya region that he has sought, so far without success, to control since ascending to the DP post.
It might seem rather desperate of the DP that he is now talking of mending fences with former President Uhuru Kenyatta, the man he has made a career of bashing at every opportunity. Chances are almost zero that Mr Kenyatta will respond favourably to overtures from Mr Gachagua that can only be intended to bolster the latter’s dubious claims to Mt Kenya political supremacy. He must be chuckling quietly to himself wherever he is, and probably anticipating a call from President Ruto.
This column has argued many times in the past that the President will only succeed by rising above petty politics and abandoning the backward-looking strategy of blaming President Kenyatta and Mr Odinga for his own failures.
This is from April this year: “If Ruto wants to be the statesman who rises above petty and parochial gamesmanship and shortsighted pursuits, he must abandon obdurate positions. He must instead take the steering wheel and drive the wide-ranging national dialogue critical towards creation of a just and equitable society rather than one where national wealth is the preserve of a few ‘shareholders’”.
Dr Ruto has listened, and must now not relent in practical steps that are not held back by primitive and backward mindsets in his government. He had a glorious opportunity to reset his floundering administration with the cabinet reshuffle last week but apparently lacked the will and confidence to jettison the large number of ineffective, clueless and scandal-plagued cabinet and principal secretaries.
There were winners and losers, but the reshuffle was no more than the usual game of musical chairs, where proven non-performers are shifted to take their mess to other ministries.
Meanwhile, if the DP is threatening a rebellion, there is a question for today: “Why is Gachagua still in office?
