Kenyans tired of show-offs amid poverty

President William Ruto and Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo at State House, Nairobi. [Courtesy]

For a self-confessed chicken farmer, President William Ruto has done remarkably well. His is a classic rags-to-obscene-riches story. And he doesn’t shy away from reminding his flock - poor hustlers - that he has come from far.

We recently saw him driving a brand-new Mercedes G-Wagon (you could almost smell the tanned leather interior from the videos) through his 400-acre macadamia farm. And just in case the viewer mistook the few fat goats roaming the farm for strays from the neighbouring peasants, the President is careful to point out that those are certainly not sheep of unknown pedigree. No sir. They are part of his 2,000-flock used to mow the grass under the macadamia trees while keeping them in manure.

We also saw him inspecting his herd of fat (again!) cows as they are fed hay and other exotic foodstuff through a mechanised system that I have only seen applied by Americans in big-time ranches. Kenyans have seen him in his element – the chicken farm – with crates of eggs dwarfing everyone in the warehouse, ostensibly showing Kenyans where it all started and where we are now.

And ooh, I almost forgot. He has been filmed, wearing wellingtons (gumboots for you and I), clad in a Jacaru hat from Australia (they don’t come cheap) while inspecting the ploughing of his farm (a couple of thousand acres of it) in readiness for planting season. I must apologise to the reader for going into detail about his attire but it’s important for perspective, as it shows that unlike his predecessors whom he has accused of having been mostly in a drunk stupor during their spare time, William is a hands-on person when it comes to managing his time away from the busy task of running the country. Congratulations are in order.

I sometimes, however, wonder why this show of ostentation is necessary in a country where the average city dweller lives in a postage-stamp-sized plot in Kamulu, where he may have a couple of chickens and perhaps one old cow, barely scraping a living. Then, they wake up to scenes that remind them of the permanency of their state of want.

I wonder how those God-fearing people who woke up early to go vote in the last elections feel when they see their idol living a lavish life while they are still stuck in absolute poverty. I wonder whether they felt let down when they recently saw the well-televised function where the President’s daughter was being ‘koitod’ off (traditional engagement ceremony) in a show of might and money that is unprecedented.

Someone commented that if perchance you had been invited to the function and driven your newly acquired Maybach to the venue, you would have been scorned as a struggler. The preferred mode of transport was rather obvious, going by the scores of helicopters struggling to find parking space.

And then there is this voluminous chap, a Zimbabwean who seems to be the President’s bosom buddy. He has been pictured with the President at State House several times. In fact, the video where the President is talking about his sheep and macadamias was shot by this punk, making sure that he appears in a frame where he is seen in an ecstatic mood, clowning and praising the lord that his chauffeur for the day happens to be His Excellency the President.

This fellow loves showing off on social media. We recently saw a fleet of high-end cars – complete with Kenyan, yes, Kenyan personalised plates – and a new chopper which he says he acquired recently. He also travels with police escort when in town. Like my people would ask, kwani who is this chap? Google has the answer: this is a man who has been on the wrong side of the law, having been accused of fraud and money laundering among other financial crimes.

I sometimes wonder why the President’s handlers don’t keep such characters away from him; that is unless the President considers him an invaluable business partner. Only time will tell.

-The writer is a communications consultant