William Ruto, a man who is seemingly having a growing list of enemies than friends as the race for the 2022 general elections seems to be already taking shape is certainly having a tough task ahead of him.
Ruto has seen his Political star get dim in the past few weeks with numerous plans hatched to scuffle his Presidential bid.
Political pundits now argue that for Ruto to survive this ever growing Political siege, he only has two options.
He Should either quit government or join the handshake team.
What transpired after the handshake — Stop-Ruto attacks by David Murathe (former Jubilee vice chairman), remarks by Jubilee secretary general Raphael Tuju and finally appointment of Fred Matiang’i (Interior CS) to head a committee overseeing government projects — are sufficient to tell that Ruto things are bad.
However, if he still hasn’t realised that, he will very soon. I don’t think this thing can be kept secret any longer. And it is not in the interest of President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga to keep it hidden any longer because anything could happen, a blunder could occur. The best thing for them is to come out openly and tell Ruto, or have the Building Bridges team tell him.
So it is a question of the options he has, but at what point will he have to choose? It should be at a point where, beyond Murathe, Tuju or Matiang’i’s appointment, there would be something, a clear statement, say, for example, when Raila is brought into government.
There will be nothing else for him to wait for. He would have known. So at this point, his options will be simple — quit the government and fight the handshake team, that includes Raila and Uhuru.
He can do a Jaramogi. First Vice President Jaramogi Oginga Odinga resigned when some elements in Kanu like Tom Mboya and others tried to water down the office of the vice president. He can leave and tell Uhuru to continue his shenanigans with Raila.
Then Ruto can fight because he still has a chance to ascend to State House. Kenyans can rebel against Uhuru and Raila, that is very possible, and they also know this.
Better still, he can join the handshake team bandwagon, just to give in and see how things pan out. And because this is Kenya, he can even sacrifice his ambitions and there is always tomorrow. If the team decides it is him, that’s fine, If it decides on Raila or someone else, that’s fine too.