Orengo’s bid to impeach Ruto an ‘act of courage’

James Orengo (pictured) has told us that he intends to get Deputy President William Ruto impeached. We should read this as Orengo promising to attempt to do it. We should not read it as Orengo threatening to successfully execute it. Let me explain.

There are two layers to this ‘impeachment story.’ The first layer is that Orengo is just being Orengo: the nation’s foremost activist, with conviction and purpose.

The second layer is that Orengo is not being Orengo, he is part of the execution of a wider political scheme, targeting William Ruto. Let’s begin with the first layer. To paraphrase what Orengo himself told us one year ago, “some battles are fought to demonstrate courage, even when one knows that they will not win.”

He was referring to the day in 1997, when the opposition decided to disrupt the reading of the budget in protest of former President Moi’s reluctance to undertake constitutional reforms.

Back then, the President was a Member of Parliament, so he would be sitting right there, eyeballing ‘troublemakers.’ None of the opposition heavyweights were ready to do it, not the eloquent Michael Kijana Wamalwa, not the firebrand Butere MP Martin Shikuku, nor the intellectual Mwai Kibaki. It fell on the 46-year-old Orengo, the young politician with the heart of a lion, the disposition of an ox and the skin of a crocodile. 

And he did it. Orengo in his own words “confronted the presentation of the budget” right before Moi. Now, 22 years later, Orengo may have the same intention, only targeted at a different person.

Deputy President Ruto is one of the contenders for the 2022 succession. Orengo is out to lower Ruto’s political ‘market value’ by demystifying him. 

Since Orengo has a good head on his shoulders, he knows that impeachment is a tall order- a herculean task. Even globally, the impeachments of a member of the executive are few and far between. Brazil has the highest record, yet they have only had two impeachments.

America, the oldest modern democracy in the world, has never had a successful impeachment. Andrew Jackson and Bill Clinton, both impeached by the House of Representatives, were acquitted by the Senate, and did not leave office.    

Additionally, Orengo is acting in a manner that suggests that he is not committed to ensuring the success of the impeachment. He has not, for instance, been categorical about the specific basis for the impeachment motion. 

So Orengo’s ‘act of courage’ will be to prove a point. And it is an act of both courage and faith. Imagine being the owner of a motion to impeach someone who may end up becoming the president. He also knows that all politicians are vengeful. 

The second layer of Orengo’s quest is more calculated, but he is not the owner of the calculation. He is just the instrument, a part of the execution of a wider political scheme targeting William Ruto.

For now, we can only explore this second layer using some loaded questions.

Question one: As David Murathe’s lawyer, is Orengo working with the former Jubilee chairman (who is also most passionate and vocal Ruto ‘opposer’) to ‘finish’ Ruto politically? 

Two: As Raila Odinga’s right hand man, is Orengo not just doing his ‘job’ by planning this impeachment attempt?

And three: Does the lengthy meeting that Orengo held with the president earlier this month have any bearing on Orengo’s or Raila Odinga’s intentions? 

As Kenyans like to say, I am ‘just asking’.  

- The writer is a PhD candidate in political economy at SMC University. Email: [email protected]