Deputy President Dr William Ruto and KANU Party Leader Gideon Moi have been engaging in a Supremacy battle for a long period of time now. At some point, the two display their warfare in Public! But will this battle ever end?
Efforts by influential Kalenjin elders and leaders to reconcile the twohave collapsed.
For the last one year, select members of the Kalenjin Council of Elders have quietly but consistently tried without success to narrow the differences between the two rival politicians.
Former Myoot( Kalenjin Elders) Council chairman Major (Rtd) John Seii says previous reconciliation efforts failed “because none of them was willing to listen to the elders”.
He said what played out at Kabarak was “so shameful”.
“We tried our best so that we can bring them to one table to talk and end their differences but kila mtu ako na kiburi mingi (Everyone has his pride). We will push them to come together for the sake of the community. They should listen to elders, not their young advisers who have selfish interests,” he told the Star on the phone.
Seii is on the 14-member Building Bridges Initiative Task Force.
Ruto is a political ‘son’ of President Moi, having cut his teeth through YK92, Youth for Kanu ’92 that was championing the President’s reelection.
“I have come here as a son of President Moi to bury my brother Jonathan as I started my political career at Kanu YK 92 and I learnt a lot from Mzee Moi,” Ruto said during Jonathan’s burial.
Moi appointed Ruto Minister for Home Affairs before he retired in 2002
Ruto then elbowed the Moi family aside in the political hierarchy to become Deputy President, triggering a fierce political contest with Moiroyalty.
The DP was the only senior politician who skipped condoling with President Moi at Kabarak and instead visited Jonathan’s family at Kabimoi.
Senior political leaders including President Uhuru Kenyatta, Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka and former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth condoled with Moi at Kabarak.
Last year, Ruto flew to Kabarak to see the ailing Moi but was snubbed in an embarrassing turn of events that turned into warfare between him and Gideon. He blamed Gideon from keeping him away.
On Saturday during Jonathan’s burial service Kabarak University grounds, the Gideon-Ruto supremacy battle played out in public.
Gideon stood up to shake hands with other political leaders such as Kalonzo, ANC Boss Musalia Mudavadi and Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka.
But he did not rise for the DP, a clear indication warfare between the two.
According to Bett, both Gideon and Ruto believe they are closest to the throne. But whom do you think is more influential in the 2022 presidential battle?