The curse of Deputy Presidency in Kenya

At the peak of 2017 presidential elections, Deputy President William Ruto then under the jubilee party headed by president uhuru kenyatta described the opposition coalition Nasa as clueless, rudderless, leaderless and disorganised. five years later, nothing better describes the trajectory his last term as deputy president as succession politics took centre stage unbridled.

In the last term of jubilee government in 2022, It is a script typical of founding President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta’s last years in office. The big question is, has the ruling party jubilee become ineffectual and Kenya become known as the “no party state”? What about the allegations by president uhuru kenyatta that his deputy ruto had abandoned his duties instead began early campaigns to succeed him? wield power and pursue his own political interests leading to a massive fallout?

WELCOME TO THE “CURSE”OF DEPUTY PRESIDENCY IN KENYA

The first president of kenya mzee jomo kenyatta took power after independence in 1963. In 19 79, Daniel moi became president after the death of Jomo Kenyatta. in december 2002, Mwai kibaki became the third president after moi and in april 2013, uhuru kenyatta, the son of jomo kenyatta became the 4th president of kenya.

The kenyattas have gone into books of history when both a father and a son became presidents 34 years apart. In the two periods, the senior and junior Kenyattas are deputised by Daniel Moi and William Ruto, respectively. The title Vice President has since been replaced with Deputy President. Ruto is Moi’s ‘political prodigal son’

In presidential succession, the deputy president is always the focal person because he is a heartbeat away from the presidency. Holders of the office are often opposed and humiliated. Kenyan history is replete with scenes of the humiliation of the deputy president since Oginga Odinga’s time. Moi, Mwai Kibaki, Dr Josphat Karanja and Prof George Saitoti were no different, nor is Ruto. In fact, many have argued that the position is a cursed one.

Until recently, Uhuru had not directly opposed his deputy’s political ambitions, he tacitly did so in his public speeches, body language and through his Project Stop Ruto 2022.

This is a case of history repeating itself, a deja vu of Moi’s tribulations with the State House elites around Jomo who could not fathom how a person like Moi, without pedigree and not from the ‘right ethnicity’ could succeed Mzee. The open resistance against Ruto mirrors the very same beaten path that Moi had to endure before eventual ascension to power after Mzee’s demise — save that unlike Mzee, Uhuru is young and in good health and therefore may play a key role in his succession.

The first term of Uhuru’s regime saw Ruto at the centre of government. Perhaps because it was a coalition government of URP and TNA, and because Uhuru needed him for his re-election. Uhuru once handed over the instruments of power to Ruto when he headed to The Hague to attend the case against him before the International Criminal Court. It is no more. The music has stopped and so has the bromance tango.

The Building Bridges Initiative was birthed by the 2017 handshake of Uhuru and opposition leader Raila Odinga to save a country which was falling apart after the latter swore himself in as the people’s president following botched presidential election. It has achieved the purpose of taming Raila and allowing Uhuru to finish his term with less turbulence.The unclenching of fists by the two leaders and the BBI process ostensibly excluded Ruto

Apart from Jaramogi Odinga, who took on his tormentors head-on from January 1965 to April 1966 — when he threw in the towel — no other vice-president has staged a formidable fight to save his place as Dr Ruto has done.

Deputy President William Ruto has come under fire from the Kikuyu Council of Elders for attacking President Uhuru Kenyatta. The elders are on record, led by Wachira wa Kiago and Ndung’u Gaithuma (Kiama Kiama) saying that the DP is too ambitious in his presidential bid. Chairman Kiago said Ruto’s pursuit for power is worrying and he risks being cursed if he continues attacking Uhuru and his mother Mama Ngina Kenyatta.

Of late, Deputy President William Ruto sounds like an injured tiger. He is angry. Cornered. And willing to fight those determined to eclipse his political goals.
His only solace is that his position as DP is protected by the Constitution, although he seems to have lost his place within President Uhuru Kenyatta’s inner circle.

Whereas the presidency is open to any qualified person in a democratic society like ours, the deputy president may naturally feel entitled to inherit his boss’s job but this is not always the case. And besides, hardly do kings entertain the talk of succeeding them while they are alive, they tend to immortalise themselves. Ruto seems to have made peace with the fact that his boss may never support his candidature in the august 2022 elections, at least not now.

It is not the first time that a vice or deputy president has found himself in a similar predicament due to succession wars.

Moi’s VP Mwai Kibaki found himself restricted to his native Nyeri District and few politicians would dare invite him to their districts. The fear among Moi’s inner circle was that Mr Kibaki was capable of building a national image and perhaps become a threat to Moi.

But Kibaki faced the humiliation he went through silently – and hardly raised his voice until he found that his position as a politician was under threat during the 1988 queue voting saga.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has now officially endorsed the ODM leader Raila Odinga for the presidency. While addressing delegates of the Mt Kenya region, Uhuru urged his community to back Raila’s bid saying he has the best interests for the country. this has been echoed by his allies and mother Ngina kenyatta.

The President in an apparent reference to Deputy President William Ruto said he will have no problem supporting him in future if he reforms.

the presidential succession in kenya is coincidentally ‘family business’ that Kenyans are unwittingly drawn into and family altars speak through spirituality fermenting into physical manifestations experienced by five senses.