Two handshakes that make Uhuru a good president

President Uhuru Kenyatta with Chief of the Defence Forces General Robert Kibochi, Defence CS Eugene Wamalwa and other officials during the inauguration of the National Defence University -Kenya in Lanet Nakuru on August 3, 2022. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

President Uhuru Kenyatta may not be bowing out as the most popular person, but we must agree that he has done his bit. As he packs out we can decide to focus on his failures or wins. I choose the latter.

Of all the things Kenyatta has done, I give it to him for his two handshakes; first with his deputy William Ruto and later with fierce political competitor Raila Odinga. I regard one's ability to reach out to perceived enemies as one of the greatest marks of leadership.

The two handshakes brought a kind of healing that only those who have found themselves in the heat of tribal political contestation can understand. In one of his many interviews lately, Uhuru's cousin Kungu Muigai gave a hint of the kind of anxiety that used to grip Kikuyus in Rift Valley during elections. Their fears were not unfounded. Previous skirmishes were on with the worst happening in 2007.

From 2011, Kenyatta and Ruto were both at the ICC reading from opposing scripts. Yet in 2012 they came together while still being active suspects at the ICC. That pact changed the relationship between their two communities; going into 2013, 2017 and now 2022 elections without as much anxiety as was in history.

Then came in the 2018 handshake. Kenyans forget easily but truth be told, the handshake relieved many. The tension was already starting to affect even families that had inter-married. However, the handshake went beyond that. It set pace for healing of unfounded political tensions between Kikuyus and Raila and by extension his Luo community.

Uhuru himself had been the chief soloist of the litany of lies and negativity against Raila continuing from where their fathers left it. It came at a great sacrifice. While Raila's followers quickly forgave him and moved on, his supporters from the mountain did not. Actually, Kenyatta's perceived low popularity among his people has nothing to do with his development record but this simple yet momentous decision.

Kenyatta also goes into history as the first elected president under the 2010 Constitution. That came with its burden; most importantly midwifing devolution. Devolution defines the new Constitution and has a direct impact on the budget.

Where voters were lucky enough, fruits of devolution are there for all to see: hospitals, roads, ECDE centres, production lines etc. All this has worked towards moving services closer to the people as the main goal of devolving government.

The only downside is that with devolved governments, came devolved corruption. Where there was one leaking tap, now we have 47 possible leaks. Besides devolution, digitisation of government services has even played a bigger role in taking government services closer to the people. Combined with the the Huduma centres.

The writer is anchor at Radio Maisha