The KANU skunk will reek forever

By LAWRENCE CHITERI
Published October 22, 2009

When William Samoei Ruto finally declared his interest in the presidency, come 2012; the jig saw puzzle was completed. Now it is the norm, rather than the exception, that people sharpen their spears of ambition, in the shadow of a political linchpin of the time. In 2002, Raila ran round the country ostensibly to whip support for Mwai Kibaki, to the accolade of “njamba” (brave warrior), only for it to emerge as a dress rehearsal, for the onslaught in 2007. At least it did yield some fruit, because he is the prime minister today, which a previous memorandum of understanding could not guarantee.

Who is surprised that Ruto was gunning for such a niche in 2007? He edged so close, that he remained the omnipresent, Kenyan flag donning cap wearer, for vividness of impact. Those who have knowledge of theatre know the functional import of a costume; and Ruto must have been a good actor, director, adjudicator or all of these, at school. This writing will not chastise Ruto, or any Kenyan whatsoever, for harbouring the ambition to be president.

Otherwise in the same breath, my good friend Olago Aluoch, should cease to have business in politics if aspiring for the highest office, is a spent dream for him. Olago reminds one of those years when hawkish party functionaries, descended on others for vomiting their dreams. What my good friend should have done, was to challenge  Ruto on the basis of valid, existing and crumbling personal records, held by him. Politics is all about forming an aggregate, for the chief reason of propaganda, and agitation. Ruto is chiefly agitating, and Aluoch should play propaganda! That’s politics.

That said, there are serious bones to pick with Ruto. A few days back, he disabused one Kalonzo Musyoka against campaigning for 2012, ostensibly because, they had not fulfilled their mission for Kenyans, since being elected in 2007. I clapped hard for him, yet before the itch from my clapping had eased, there he was! Promising to vie in 2012! Not that this is surprising at all, In fact, Ruto has perfectly fitted in the league of political emptiness, pervading Kenya today, and I will elaborate.

Ruto has finally realized that he is the wielder of the largest tribal vote basket in Kenya. The immediate last election, coupled by the ganging up around him, both in and out of parliament, by so to speak, Rift Valley politicians, have eventually beaded his political cap. Not to mention that, in many instances, it has been a ganging up against Kenya, and disadvantaged Kenyans, by an intoxicated league of despots. Otherwise, how does one explain the Mau forest saga, and maize scandal chips, off the political dead block?

The answer is easy, Ruto told us that the Kalenjins love to support only a winning presidential candidate, failing which, they will withdraw support, and get it themselves. After supporting “outsiders” twice, they are angry, and will go for it in 2012. Further more, they must have assured Ruto that, they will support him this time round. The question is, if Ruto does not- and he will very likely not- whom will they support next? William Ruto, the Rift Valley, or the Kalenjins, do not have the title deed to the presidency in Kenya; Kenyans have been insulted enough.

The rhetoric and rigmaroles that dot our politics, underestimate the intelligence of Kenyans too much. Balkanization of our country is what caused post-election violence last time. Now the chief players, who have ensured that the perpetrator of the said crimes go scot free, want to use the same yardstick, for their gain. Kenya is larger than just one tribe, or one province Mr. Ruto; there are immediate problems, and issues to straighten, why not spare us the jugular, and it is outdated.

If the presidency in Kenya were to be occupied based on a viable report card, Ruto would score dismally. First, he is not an honest politician; read his reaction to Kalonzo last week, then he is the minister for agriculture, and Kenyans are starving! What will happen when he becomes president? He features prominently in wanting to protect those who murdered Kenyans in 2007; he came to the government with alleged queries of residual mismanagement, in his KANU hey days, etcetera!

When former president Daniel Moi said that KANU would rule for a hundred years, many people, including myself, sneered at him. He was right, Mwai Kibaki is KANU to the last drop of blood, so are Uhuru Kenyatta, George Saitoti, William Ruto, Kalonzo Musyoka and…wait a minute…Raila Odinga! Kenyans watch out, the old man cursed us, these guys will give us the next president if we snooze; and it will be KANU!

There would be no problem with KANU, if the people mentioned above, did not agree with Kenyans that there were issues with the ruling party;,which they promised to redress, prime about them were governance, constitutional reforms, the economy and God knows what else. Many years after they recycled themselves from reformers, to conformers and back, the story is the same. When William Shakespeare quipped, “what’s in a name?” a rose by any other name would smell as sweet; someone should have added, and “a skunk in any skin would reek as foully”. The KANU skunk will be around for so long, watch this space, we will see why.

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