By Adhere Cavince

It is now clear that Deputy President William Ruto’s utility in the Jubilee administration has expired. In a recent interview with a national television station, the DP was full of lamentation, even predicting his ouster from the ruling party. Dr. Ruto seems to hanging on straws, having imbibed enough coffee scent on his political fate within government – even declaring that he has a standby vehicle in the name of United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

In reflection, the DP argued that, given a chance to lead the country, he would not let his deputy to be humiliated. Yet, in order to protect one’s assistant, the assistant must demonstrate commitment to the common vision and respect for the number one. A deputy who operates a parallel government would be impossible to defend. Those not content with being number two, and larch at every opportunity to appear equal to, or even superior to their bosses, are impossible to cushion from political and administrative shocks. A good deputy does not make the boss feel that they are in competition by going against government directives.

President Kenyatta is on record, having scolded the DP for being too impatient; and not supporting the Head of State to finish his mandate. Ruto is viewed by many to have sowed discord and orchestrated chaos to government operations; a function of his now clearly demonstrated rush to the State House. Besides initiating early campaigns for the top job, Dr. Ruto took antagonistic path on the Building Bridges Initiative, a brainchild of President Kenyatta and Orange Democratic Movement Leader, Raila Odinga.

In the television interview, DP Ruto was unable to explain how past development pledges he voiced have not come to materialize. The difficulty in explaining his track record is twofold. First, the DP finds himself at crossroads, unable to speak on an entity he no longer identifies with. Secondly, admitting failure would dampen prospects of his future political career that is increasingly built on guesswork. At the moment, Ruto is busy constituting committees to galvanize public views on what development projects are required and viable in different parts of the country. How he intends to deliver on these new promises with a litany of failed pledges trailing him is hard to understand.

DP Ruto squandered an opportunity he had within Jubilee government to demonstrate his commitment to a better Kenya. In terms of national outlook, super majority of his nominees to take up slots in the Jubilee government came from his tribe or region, despite clear constitutional provisions on the same. Secondly, instead of proving a unifying force, especially when the country was faced with a crisis after the 2017 elections, he chose to pull away, abandoning the handshake sprite that largely calmed political tensions in the country. Finally, when the nation faced the Covid-19 global pandemic, Ruto was no show; instead he led rallies that could easily incubate and spread the virus to the hustlers that he purports to care about. It will be a cumbersome task for the DP to extricate himself from the political jig show that he has fermented since the last elections.

Twitter: @Cavinceworld