Opinion: Ruto’s remarks in Ravine should awaken Uhuru

A few days ago, Deputy President William Ruto was quoted by one of the mainstream newspapers saying he would not stop preparing himself to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2022. 

The DP, who spoke in a Kalenjin dialect, referred to the scriptures of the Bible, stating that Christians were always told to prepare for the coming of Jesus, though they knew not the day.

"With the 2022 elections, we know the date, month and the year the polls will be held." In light of this, Ruto said he would not heed the call of those asking him to stop early Uhuru succession campaign.

"I will continue to prepare myself because I have a right to do so," he said.

The DP’s remarks once again showed that he was not reading from the same script with his boss Uhuru.

This vindicated my previous observations that the DP was just playing political games whenever he pledged loyalty to the President.

The DP had a few weeks earlier ‘humbled himself’ when he spoke during the launch of Eldoret-based Rivatex Textile factory and at the Akorino national convention.

During the Akorino event, the President seemed to have been fed up with tricks the DP was playing with him. In his speech, he minced no words while hitting out at the DP’s allies.

“Some people have been loitering around the country and we know their intention is to undermine my development agenda. They think I am a boy, but I want to tell them I will not allow them to destroy the path I have created to enable me turn around the livelihoods of Kenyan people," the President said.

The DP is a shrewd politician. He showers the President with praises when he realises the President is not happy with him.

Many would interpret this as a strategy to disarm the President and keep him from taking on him directly.

Notably, the political differences pitting the President and his allies on one hand, and his deputy and his allies on the other, took a bad turn following the handshake between Uhuru and opposition leader Raila Odinga.

Majority of Kenyans praised the move by the President, saying it demonstrated he was a true statesman. Though the President would reiterate that the deal had nothing to do with his succession, the DP and his allies have since countered that position.

They believe the two leaders’ goal is to stop the DP from ascending to power. So far, the DP’s allies are yet to produce evidence to support their claims.

Kenya is a democratic country and it is governed by rule of law. So, Kenyans will decide at the ballot who to succeed Uhuru.