Matchmaking gone wrong: Take aways from Zakayo and Riggy G's short 'marriage'

President William Ruto and former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

It may appear that it is not a good idea to allow other people to choose a partner for you, if the Ruto-Gachagua relationship is anything to go by. Our ancestors used to rely on relatives and friends to recommend suitors and such marriages usually worked because the match makers knew what qualities to look for. If one was a night runner, then they certainly helped you to get a partner from a family of night runners.  But sometimes when we are desperate, we settle for anything and anyone.

We are more interested in meeting our immediate need and rarely do we think of the future. When Zakayo settled for Riggy G as his running mate, his immediate interest was to secure the Mrima vote. He did not give much thought on compatibility and only realised that they were like water and oil after the elections. Zakayo was like a man who realises that he loathes his wife after their first night together. In the ideal African situation, such a man would not worry a lot. He will only need to spend a few decent years with her before opting to marry a second one and a third one if his pockets are deep enough.

Such a man will then spend his years and energy with his other wives and ignore the first wife. But Riggy G was not a wife to be ignored. He stamped his presence and insisted that Zakayo should recognise him for the mrima votes that he brought with him.

When faced with a stubborn vice president years ago, Jayden’s dad, the father of the nation did what any African man faced with a stubborn wife could have done – he decided to appoint eight other vice presidents. However, I will be the first to point out that such theatrics are unlikely to pass in our current generation. The Gen Z are always keeping us accountable and we know better than encourage another maandamano.

Looking back, I insist that men and heads of states should be allowed to pick their own partners. The African man of course still has the leeway of marrying another and another should he fall out of love with the previous ones. But presidency is like a monogamous marriage, you cannot appoint another vice president and keep the previous one.

The best he can, therefore, do is to be a serial monogamist. He can hire and fire until he finally gets a good one that he can work with. Meanwhile, it is almost obvious that our mrima brothers are not happy. Unlike their lakeside brothers who take to the street to protect Baba, Mrima sat back and sulked when their self-declared king pin was continuously humiliated. They have proved to us that they are a peace loving community, a virtue that their lakeside brothers are encouraged to embrace.

It is perhaps safe to conclude that the country is now in safe hands. Our current DP is not only a professor, but is also married to a very intelligent woman who understands chemistry the same way Dorcas Gachagua understands the bible.

We know that walking in heels may be an uphill task when you have been used to wearing flat shoes to work, we also know that holding hands does not come so naturally to African professors. These skills they will learn. We are, however, confident that the relationship between Zakayo and his new bride is bound to last because this time, he made his choice.