Time for “the mountain” to focus and forge a united stand is now, but they should choose wisely
By People Daily, June 16, 2021By SELINA CHITERI
Will the NASA pact see the light of day? Will there be a truce or a rebranding as the country heads to 2022? These are the questions boggling many political minds and the public at large. But many are not so optimistic of a NASA future. For the pessimists, NASA has been long dead and buried. For the optimists, the Opposition coalition of yore has only been locked up in a room and waiting for the right moment for a major resuscitation, with leaders ready to take the political landscape to the next level.
Five years ago, close to half of the country had aligned itself to the ideologies of NASA that was then under five principals, with former Prime Minister Raila Odinga being the man to take the alliance to presidency. At the time, a majority of leaders and voting bloc in Mt Kenya and Rift Valley region were in tune with one another. However, intrigues of political underhand, sabotage and undermining of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s leadership and presidency led to a bitter fallout with Deputy President William Ruto the handshake.
As at now, Mt Kenya region has emerged to be a region, seemingly, divided within itself as different sides balance their options on the ultimate course.
Considered a rich voting bloc with over six million voters, Mount Kenya region should critically question itself as to why President Uhuru Kenyatta is taking the NASA direction and settling on endorsing a NASA 2022 lineup. Having been the region’s ultimate leader, President Uhuru Kenyatta knows and understands the dynamics of Mount Kenya politics as well the region’s interests. And his disowning of his deputy in the succession race must be premised on something. My thinking is that the President believes a Ruto presidency will not serve the interests of the region or country.
Recounting the events that culminated to the post-election violence, the handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga was pegged on an intention to maintain unity and political stability for the country even beyond the 2022 General elections. Or so we believe.
It was symbol of a unity pact that culminated to a deep analysis of issues facing the country and birthing the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI). The BBI was set to change the course of the country’s repetitive and corrosive political theatrics. Many believe, with reason, the initiative was for the best interests of Kenyans, covering all regions including Mount Kenya region.
With this in mind, President Uhuru Kenyatta’s recent declaration of endorsing a 2022 lineup may or may not be taken as a surprise. It is a clear indicator of a President who wants to leave behind a united country having understood the political underhand at play on who is best suited to serve the interests of the nation.
This should be no surprise to Deputy President William Ruto who has now questioned the President’s political allegiance through ethnic inclined tweets. The President obviously has justified reasons for overlooking Ruto’s leadership that has divided the Mt Kenya region. The DP has never appreciated the unity brought about by the handshake, which has even enabled him to comfortably tour the country on his campaign trails since 2017.
Initially, the DP was elusive on his support of the handshake and the BBI despite enabling Kenyans to live and work in an eased political environment. But, eventually, he has come out to castigate the initiative and has played ball in sabotaging the President’s development agenda, including those pertaining to the interests of the wananchi. This could be reason the President forged forward to work exclusively with the Cabinet in conducting government business.
The Deputy President, being the second in command, has stayed aloof on his role as the President’s Deputy and engaged in political barrage when his boss was urging government officials to embark on delivering their development mandate.
Forgetting that leadership is given and not taken, the DP chart his own path, choosing to support candidates affiliated to other parties except those of his own Jubilee Party. He led his troops in declaring that Jubilee Party is dead and moved forward to align himself to the United Democratic Alliance, a competing outfit.
Ruto was working hard to show his supremacy over the President and ultimately failed the test on the 48 Laws of Power to “Never outshine the Master”. His early moves of ascending to presidency and disrespecting the presidency are telltale signs of impatience and greed.
For these and other reasons, it is time the Mount Kenya region united and channelled their efforts and voting bloc towards a leader who will ensure the unity and political stability of the country. It should be a time of retrospect for the region on the President’s choice in working with leaders who are speaking the same language of unity and moving away from an ethnicity inclined form of politics.
Selina Chiteri is a Communications Consultant and Graduate student in Corporate Communication at a local university.
Email: selina.chiteri@gmail.com