The politics of betrayal and how Ruto broke jinx that has plagued vice presidency

President William Ruto. [Kelly Ayodi, Standard]

A prince, whose father had been Prime Minister and the country's founding president found himself in political romance with what Nollywood filmmakers would call, the son of a palm wine tapper or Keke driver. Ruto had been pulled by political exigencies into the palace. Once inside, he found himself a comfortable corner, sat squarely and refused to leave.

During the first five years of their presidency, the marriage was cozy. Uhuru and Ruto were hailed as a perfect political couple. Always appearing together in public resplendent in similar attire, they toured the country preaching unity under a new youthful leadership.

Their 'love' that seemed to run deep like the Biblical one of David and Jonathan, gave the country hope that at last a chapter had been opened to unite a country devastated by corruption and tribalism. Then, when Uhuru got his second nod to his final term, he suddenly changed.

The love of his life became; "the enemy, a thief, a danger to public good, an idler and loiterer, tangatanga'. He remembered that Ruto was a palace intruder. Uhuru had formed an alliance with a man he had demonised and called all sorts of unprintable names. The country went into shock.

The deputy president found himself isolated. He became a moving target, an enemy of the State. Powerful guns were soon trailing him. Friends fled from him. The government declared war on corruption and corrupt leaders.

Bulldozers started demolishing shopping malls, apartments and homes allegedly built on riparian land or land acquired irregularly. Many lost billions as the war targeting one man raged on. There was a hotel associated with Ruto that was the ultimate target. Insiders say the objective was to paint him as incorrigibly corrupt and unfit to hold public office.

He Learnt from the Best

Ruto's detractors forgot one thing, he was a student of multiple political chess masters. From Daniel arap Moi, the Professor of Politics, to Raila Amolo Odinga and Mwai Kibaki. Ruto had worked with and studied them all. He also knew some dark secrets of his tormentors.

Each time they pulled out a card, he flashed one to counter it. He was hardened and not easy to intimidate. He refused to bow to pressure to resign. Instead, Ruto launched his bid for the presidency. He had marshalled a war chest and fought his opponents for five bruising years until his shock victory in this year's elections.

Many have argued that Ruto should have served Uhuru quietly and with humility like Moi did for Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. However, times and circumstances are totally different. In this digital age, his supporters expect him to promptly respond to each and every accusation against him. He became a rebel deputy, publicly defying and at times countering his boss.

As taste of his own medicine?

Along his political journey, William Ruto has rubbed shoulders with many, some of whom he rubbed up the wrong way. From the days he served Moi under the infamous Youth for Kanu 92, (YK92), Ruto worked with cunning and great political and financial mobilisers such as former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo, Micah Kigen and Sam Nyamweya. He stepped on many toes.

When the campaigns for the 2013 elections began, Uhuru had entered into a political alliance with Kalonzo Musyoka. The agreement was that Kalonzo and Uhuru would appear on the ballot jointly as president and deputy president or vice versa. Ruto agreed and promised to support Kalonzo while he settled for Majority Leader. One day however things changed.

Kalonzo remembers the betrayal bitterly. The former vice president recalls in his autobiography 'Against all Odds'; "I remember the night I felt betrayed by Uhuru and Ruto. The night our alliance died. We had agreed with Ruto that I would be on the presidential ticket, with Uhuru as my running mate or vice versa.

Ruto was to be the Majority Leader. Then that one night, Uhuru and Ruto arrived at my home in the company of Jimmy Wanjigi, a renowned Nairobi businessman and political strategist."

Kalonzo says that they walked down to the gazebo where dinner was to be served. As the discussion went on, he realised that things had changed. Ruto sat silently as Uhuru spoke: "Stephen", he said, "we have decided that you should choose some other position, but not the presidency or deputy presidency," Kalonzo was stunned. He did not know at what point the arrangement he had earlier with Ruto had been changed.

There was silence in the gazebo. As tension rose, Uhuru suddenly stood up, pushed his seat back and stepped out of the sliding glass door.

He walked five steps to the waterfall, removed a packet from is jacket pocket and pulled out a cigarette and when he had finished smoking, he threw the smouldering stub on the ground and stumped on it with his left foot. Kalonzo had been thrown under the bus.

David Musila, former Kitui Senator, says that before the 2013 election, Uhuru, Kalonzo and George Saitoti had agreed to work on an alliance where one of them would be a presidential candidate. For days, a small team of; Kiraitu Murungi representing Saitoti, Yusuf Haji representing Uhuru and David Musila representing Kalonzo would meet every Wednesday at the Norfolk Hotel. It is these deliberations, chaired by Titus Ibui, that gave birth to the Bus Party.

As the talks progressed, Uhuru hinted at the possibility of introducing William Ruto into the group. The team became jittery. They knew that Uhuru and Ruto were not on the best of terms after the 2007/2008 post-election violence.

Says Musila, "I recall asking Saitoti for his views and he told me that with the inclusion of Ruto to the group, he and Kalonzo had no chance in the group. As soon as we realised that Ruto, then an ODM rebel, was slowly elbowing his way in, Saitoti withdrew quietly and began to chart his own path.

Uhuru, Ruto and Kalonzo stayed on course. However, it was clear to many that Kalonzo had no future in this group. Propaganda started flowing that Kalonzo was 'gleefully watching the two as they walked into the ICC gallows'"

Uhuru and Ruto started holding countrywide public prayer rallies for the continued success of the ICC case facing them. After Kalonzo organised a large prayer rally in Machakos, Johnson Muthama made a statement that seemed to enchant and excite the crowd.

Uhuru and Ruto left for Kitengela where they sought services of Fred Muteti, a young member from Kalonzo's team to interpret what Muthama had said. According to former Cabinet minister Ali Chirau Makwere, Muteti told them that: "Once these people (Uhuru and Ruto), get jailed at The Hague, Kalonzo shall take over. Makwere was dispatched to ask Kalonzo not to attend any meeting organised by the two.

Second betrayal

One Sunday, Musila got a brief from Muthama that Ruto had called him seeking the support of the Kamba community. He was not surprised, when Ruto called him, the following day requesting for a meeting.

"We agreed to meet at his Transnational House office in Nairobi's City Centre. I arrived in his office early the following morning. After a brief handshake, he went straight to the point. He told me that he wanted the Kamba to support them and he complained that Muthama had been rough with him.

"Please help us get out of this thing", he told me. We briefly deliberated the fact that despite Kalonzo lending them his support during the countrywide meetings, they were no longer with him.

I was frank with him. I asked him what would be our take in the government in the event that I managed to convince the community and its leaders? "David, I cannot promise you anything, but we can then talk" he answered. Our meeting ended with a promise to meet and deliberate on the matter at a later date. We never met again."

Ruto had betrayed Kalonzo twice. Being a Kenyan politician, he had probably betrayed numerous others. I just hope and pray that he will not meet his own Kush moment in the political compound filled with fruits of betrayal.