On Friday, Deputy President William Ruto graduated with a PhD in plant ecology at the University of Nairobi on the same day he was celebrating his 52nd birthday and 27th wedding anniversary. Indeed this coincidence is perplexing and it can only mean that Dr Ruto is either a very lucky man or is simply a schemer par excellence.
Traditionally, UoN’s faculties of humanities and social science and health sciences conduct graduations on the first Friday of every December. However, this time round, according to a source at the university who spoke in confidence, the date was pushed to the last Friday before Christmas because of the domino effect of the prolonged lecturers’ strike that affected the academic calendar — a significant boon laden with symbolism for the deputy president.
Just like his political life, the latest achievement has attracted a lot of interest and debate among politicians and academics. Congratulating the Deputy President, Ford-Kenya’s deputy party leader Boni Khalwale sums it all by observing that Ruto’s latest academic accolades are a reflection of his never-say-die spirit of confronting and surmounting challenges and controversy.
The former Kakamega senator opines that the same resilience is reflected in the deputy president’s quest for the country’s top seat — a factor that has endeared many, including Dr Khalwale, into backing Ruto’s presidential bid. Ideally, over the last six years, the period within which Ruto enrolled for PhD studies at UoN, he has been more visible politicking across the country than undertaking his academic research work.
The young also congratulated Dr Ruto on his achievement. PHOTO | SILA KIPLAGAT | NATION MEDIA GROUP
That Ruto has excelled in playing politics over the last six years is a fact that even President Uhuru Kenyatta has acknowledged greatly aided the Jubilee Party campaigns in 2013 and last year.
But that he has ably combined the same with PhD studies, by satisfying the high demands of the academic undertaking, has attracted more than cursory attention.
Individuals pursue PhDs for different reasons. Ordinarily, a PhD study is a passionate quest about a specific subject with intent to make important discoveries and a scholarly contribution to fill information gaps.
Other candidates have long-term career goals in the academia or seek to secure employment in specific fields requiring high analytical and research skills.
But the deputy president’s quest for a PhD in plant ecology at this point in time, when his star is shining in a different field — politics — begs a number of questions.
Political scientist, Prof Amukowa Anangwe, posits that Ruto has “a cattle complex” that inspires his approach to life. He observes that the DP wants to behave like the only bull around with a capacity to ride roughshod against anyone else with a contrary outlook.
“No wonder he has been deriding (Baringo County senator) Gideon Moi in rallies for being less educated than him. He will say the same thing against his opponents in the presidential race ahead of 2022,” says Prof Anangwe, who teaches at University of Dodoma, Tanzania.
Dr Vijoo Rattansi confers a PhD on Mr Ruto at the University of Nairobi on December 21, 2018. PHOTO | SILA KIPLAGAT | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Curiously, Ruto is not the first country’s Number Two in command to possess a PhD, yet his degree conferment has attracted controversy and heated debate on social media.
The country’s fifth and sixth vice-presidents, Dr Josephat Karanja and Prof George Saitoti, were similarly PhD holders in history and mathematics, respectively. Unlike the two, Ruto has acquired his credentials while in office and eyeing the presidency.
Prof Anangwe maintains that Ruto's acquisition of a PhD is more of a political statement than an academic achievement. According to the ex-Cabinet minister, the motivation of the DP “borders on sheer greed and narcissistic personality disorder where one wants everything in great measure simultaneously such as political power, wealth, education, and what not”.
But Khalwale views the deputy president’s multiple achievements as “upping the stakes” for the big seat. According to the Ford Kenya politician, those dismissing Ruto’s PhD are merely political opponents envious of his chain of achievements.
However, with or without the feather newly added to his curriculum vitae, the deputy president characteristically exhibits a patronising and belittling attitude over opponents.
Last Sunday, while addressing Catholic faithful at the ASK showground in Kitale town, for instance, he advised leaders of the Nasa opposition outfit to team up and face him in the 2022 polls.
Secretaries-general of the opposition constituent parties — Mr Edwin Sifuna (ODM), Mr Barack Muluka (ANC) and Dr Eseli Simiyu (Ford Kenya) — separately dismissed the call, terming Ruto’s advice “a display of arrogance”. Dr Simiyu said Ruto was a competitor “who had no business advising us on how best to face him”.
Earlier, while introducing guests at the Jamhuri Holiday fete at Nairobi’s Nyayo Stadium, Ruto referred to the Nasa leaders Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka, Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetang’ula as former prime minister, former vice-president, former deputy prime minister and former Foreign Affairs minister.
Dr Ruto receives his PhD at the University of Nairobi during the university's 60th graduation ceremony. PHOTO | DPPS
While to some this was a normal reference to past office holders, the preference for “former” could have been deliberate to portray the four as election losers who are out of power. Yet clearly, the four have current titles as party leaders, with Mr Wetang’ula also serving as a sitting senator for Bungoma County.
Ruto followed through this with a veiled attack on the ODM leader, barely four days after Odinga and President Kenyatta promised to unite the country during a tour of Kisumu, by stating there was no room in government for losers in last year’s General Election.
Ruto was speaking in Ikolomani constituency, Kakamega County, accompanied by Khalwale, a former MP of the area. Drumming up support for his new ally, Khalwale said Ruto had done a lot for the Luhya community compared to Mr Odinga, and former vice-presidents Mudavadi and Moody Awori, who hail from the region.
In his latest online analysis, political scientist Mutahi Ngunyi identifies Mr Odinga and President Kenyatta as the deputy president’s main impediment to his presidential bid.
According to Mr Ngunyi, the famous Kenyatta-Odinga handshake may have been conceived as a ploy to tame the presidential ambitions of Dr Ruto.
However, he predicts the ploy “will fall flat”. This is partly attributable to the deputy president’s formidable push. Ngunyi opines that Ruto’s contradiction may make him king.
