COLUMN: Why I am Opposed to Ruto's Presidential Bid

 With only six months shy from the next general election, political alliances and coalitions continue to unfold, the latest being Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetang’ula's pact with William Ruto's UDA; dubbed Kenya Kwanza Alliance. Mudavadi had promised to deliver an earthquake which received utmost dislodgement from his political adversaries. 

Immediately his OKA co-principals saw the UDA allied legislators entering Bomas of Kenya, Kalonzo and Moi walked out implying infidelity by the other principals, the latter were the biggest casualties and found themselves on the receiving end. DP Ruto later showed up for the ANC National Delegates Council.

This political move and permutation are likely to have a big impact on the outcome of the 2022 Presidential election. I have argued in my previous submissions that William Ruto is a political maven, in terms of strategy. He came to the limelight during the YK92, a youth group which was supporting the re-election of President Moi. The man from Sugoi has never lost any election(1997-Present) but lost the 2010 referendum polls when he led the NO team against the 2010 draft which later became the current constitution.

I usually read from a different script with Ruto's political dogma and there are some parameters according to me on why I believe he shouldn’t be trusted with the highest office in the land. It is him who came up with the dynasty vs hustlers classification forgetting in his entire life he has voted for dynasties. He should therefore be the last person to talk about dynasties, his camp also has dynasties (Kihika & Gachagua). This classification is so dangerous; considering that the first stage of genocide is classification.

Since 2013, William Ruto has been peddling lies and fake promises, promising children laptops, graduates internship immediately they graduate from university, creation of one million jobs to the youth, construction of stadia, and many other white elephant projects that are yet to be initiated.

Dam scandals

Ruto admitted that no money had been lost in Arror & Kimwarer Dams but President Kenyatta went on to cancel them and sacked the then Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury Henry Rotich, an indication that funds had been misappropriated.

The problem that has bedevilled our country since independence is corruption and tribalism. What mechanisms does he have to slay this dragon?

Handshake and early campaigns lead to his fallout with the President Kenyatta. Ruto should be very grateful to the constitution he opposed because it that has protected his office for him since 2013. Had it not been for it, Uhuru would already have fired him. He can make a better opposition leader rather than the President. He deserves blame for every failure associated with Jubilee government. To his credit, for the second term he was not much involved in running of the government after fallout with President and his role appeared to have been taken by interior CS Fred Matiang'i. If Kenyans made a melancholic decision in electing Uhuru as President, replacing him with Ruto would be execrable.

OPINION By KITONGA MUSYOKA, POLITICAL ANALYST