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During the burial last Friday of two brothers from Embu County who died while in the hands of police officers, National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi read a statement on behalf of Deputy President William Ruto. A video clip of his speech was circulated online.
The clip appears to have transitioned into a different script 560km away in Homa Bay where Raila Odinga's ODM demanded the sacking of IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati before the 2022 General Election.
It is the day David Ajwang’ Nyakwamba, father to Ruaraka MP TJ Kajwang and Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang, was buried in Waodo village, Homa Bay County. It was also the day that the Ndwiga brothers were buried in Kianjokoma in Embu County.
Was there a connection between Ruto's speech and the sacking demand? The political heavens say there is a possibility.
Immediately after the two events, two political dragons heaved for a face-off. Then, President Uhuru Kenyatta scheduled Raila to meet One Kenya Alliance (OKA) principals. The president later presided a meeting with OKA and Raila in which he reportedly revealed secret polls showing them to unite against his DP or perish separately. It was then that the political dragons coiled and retreated from each other, for a while waiting for another suitable time.
There was yet another connected sign; Jubilee consummated their pact with ODM and made it public. Kanu—the older deal broker with Jubilee ignored this looming political “infidelity” and busied itself in cementing OKA with Kalonzo Musyoka and Musalia Mudavadi in a meeting held in Naivasha. That day, they placed a card on the table for ODM to checkmate if they could.
Back to the call to oust Chebukati, Raila's allies explained their decision. The political heavens leaked through Gladys Wanga: "Chebukati presided over a presidential election nullified by the Supreme Court...The first presidential poll to be overturned in Africa." That’s another political sign worth reading.
How this happened immediately Muturi read Dr Ruto's speech; I call upon political astrologers, magicians and enchanters to figure out what the political heavens are sealing.
Is the Political Chessboard reading too much into ordinary events? On the Chessboard, you can be a piece or a player. Therefore, while I was taking these as just coincidences, the political heavens said to me, "wake up, sleepyhead. Ask questions to the country dwellers?"
So, I said, why not? Let us jog our analytical minds with a few rhetorical questions. Who benefited from Chebukati's presumed ‘incompetence’, if any? How is this connected to Muturi's reading of Ruto's speech? How close is the beneficiary to the latter? Am I reading too much into this twist? What if I am wrong?
Okay, forget this sensational punditry. The Political Chessboard interprets itself. This is the third oracle that tries to demystify Muturi's political pilgrimages. If you read the previous two, you could be a prophet. But, then, you already have a hint of the force behind his coronation as Gema spokesperson. How much can you prophesy then?
Under the fate of determinism, every event has a cause. David Hume advanced that this principle of necessity is only apparent to the lovers of common sense. As such, the two events that caused tectonic shifts in the last few days had a cause from some years ago.
Let me conclude. Early this year, I predicted that after the business of fumigating the Jubilee Party, the guns would be turned towards the IEBC boss— a pre-general election political ritual. The political heavens have hinted that ODM has vowed that this will happen if Uhuru does not pacify his lads. The Political Chessboard is not human to lie, nor is it a politician to be corrupted. Muturi’s act of reading DP Ruto's speech opened a blank slate for us to scribble. Do with this blank slate as you wish.
Dr Ndonye is a Political Economist of Communication
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