Why Ruto men are rattled by Uhuru

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta. /FILE

Ordinarily, former President Uhuru Kenyatta would pass off as harmless in regard to succession politics, considering he is by no shred of hair eligible to vie for the presidency.

Since handing over power on September 13, 2022, Uhuru retreated to his Gatundu home and has largely been missing in action save for a few public appearances.

But on these rare occasions when the former president has spoken, his words have elicited terse reactions from leaders allied to his successor, William Ruto, pointing to the degree of unease he causes in the UDA camp whenever he speaks.

On Friday, May 2, Uhuru attended the wedding ceremony of Kanu secretary general Gideon Moi’s son, James Kimoi, at Ol Tukai Lodge, Amboseli, where he made remarks that rattled Ruto insiders.

Uhuru urged the youth to remain fearlessly steadfast in their quest to spearhead change in the country, even as he noted that he wasn’t activating his political drive.

“You know, I tell people that I had a biological father who was a politician who put political genes in my system, and they are still there, but now they are lying low,” he said.

“But I also had a political father, and you know he wasn't scared of young people like some people around here today. When young people talk, they panic. You guys are the future; don't be cowards, and don’t be put to anger. Start now. Who knows what God has in store for you? We are there to help and support you.”

Uhuru appeared to have poked Ruto's men in the eye, and they wasted no time going flat-out in responding to him.

Ruto’s aide Farouk Kibet on Saturday asked the former President to take a back seat in matters of politics and let his successor lead the country without interference.

"Tunauliza Rais ambaye amestaafu awe na heshima na Wakenya; huwezi kuwa rais ambaye umestaafu unaenda kufanya uchochezi. Yes, nafasi ipatiwe rais wa nchi hii aendeshe Kenya.”

(We are asking the retired president to be respectful to Kenyans; you can’t be a retired president who’s going around inciting people… yes, give a chance to the President to lead the country.)

National Assembly Majority Whip Sylvanus Osoro added his bit of the salvo, saying the presidency was gone and gone forever.

“Wewe mheshimiwa Uhuru Kenyatta, retire bwana, hii kiti haiku, sio yako. Sahii, hiyo kiti iko na mtu mwengine, hauko, ata ufanye nini hauko," he said.

(Your Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta, retire, this seat is not yours. That seat is currently with someone else, regardless of what you do)

Speaking in Vihiga county on Sunday, Farouk was still on Uhuru’s case, wondering in jest what the former President may have forgotten at State House.

He upped the onslaught by threatening to marshal support in Parliament for MPs to pass a motion to deny him his retirement benefits for meddling in politics.

“Sisi tunaambia Ichung’wah, tunataka mtu yeyote ambaye anastaafu, hii kitu iende kwa Bunge, ule mtu anahusika katika siasa, pesa yake ya retire itolewe ipatiwe wananchi.”

(We are telling Ichung’wah, this thing should go to Parliament; we want anyone who has retired, if they engage in politics, their retirement benefits be withdrawn and given to Kenyans.)

The remarks raise curiosity over why anyone would be so annoyed that a former head of state dared air his voice regarding the country’s political trajectory.

MATIANG’I FACTOR

Kenyans, and particularly the Mt Kenya region, largely ignored Uhuru’s advice against backing Ruto at the last general elections and voted for Ruto almost to a man.

Even though Uhuru’s preferred candidate, ODM leader Raila Odinga, flopped in the elections, Ruto’s men know Uhuru’s influence in tipping the scales in favour of any of his rivals is not to be underestimated.

Already, Uhuru’s Jubilee Party, on whose ticket he and Ruto rode to retain the presidency in 2017, has announced support for former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i in the 2027 elections.

With this, any remarks by Uhuru regarding the country’s politics are not being viewed as just mere comments from an ordinary Kenyan.

This, compounded by the rousing welcome the former powerful Interior CS received in Kisii in his inaugural public appearance since his return from the US, positions Uhuru as an active player in opposition politics, one that’s now being viewed as a threat by the Ruto camp.

Add this to Uhuru’s financial muscle and political networks and influence he built during his reign, and you get the picture of why his involvement in politics would create unease among the President’s men.

While leaving the Holy Family Minor Basilica on Friday, April 25, after attending the requiem mass for Pope Francis, Uhuru was jammed by mourners who were literally shoving and pushing just to get a glance of him and, if lucky, shake his hand.

The scenario painted a picture of a man who still wields immense influence among the Kenyan people, influence that can rally masses behind a presidential candidate and change the voting dynamics to the detriment of the incumbent.

Although retired, Uhuru is still a respected leader, especially in his Mt Kenya backyard, and his association with a camp that’s keen on making Ruto a one-term president is a real threat.

After weighing the waters in his Gusii backyard, Matiang’i on Saturday visited former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua at his Wamunyoro home in Nyeri.

Gachagua has said times without number that his mission is to unseat his former boss following their fallout after the former DP was hounded out of office through an impeachment in October last year.

“The struggle of today is not altogether for today—it is for a vast future also. - Abraham Lincoln. Welcome to Wamunyoro, my brother, Dr Fred Matiang'i,” Gachagua said.

With this kind of alliance slowly mutating in the backyard, and with Gachagua having mended fences with Uhuru, the Ruto camp has every reason to be jittery over his moves, as he presents a real chance in influencing which way the forthcoming elections could go.

Although Ruto has formed a working alliance with Raila, things have in recent days appeared shaky, with some of the ODM leader's allies openly expressing dissatisfaction with the broad-based government.

Some observers say it's a matter of when and not if the Raila camp in the unity government will jump ship ahead of the 2027 polls.