On Gachagua succession, Kiunjuri brings bread and butter for Ruto

Laikipia West MP Mwangi Kiunjuri. [File,Standard]

A monkey destined to die finds all trees slippery. Such is the likely fate of embattled Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua who is staring at impeachment from office.

Prospects of his office running vacant have set the stage for scouting of potential heirs to the throne. The true test of President William Ruto’s success and his prospects of getting a second term lies at the choice for Gachagua’s replacement.

Several names have been floated but those featuring prominently on that list include Kirinyaga Governor Ann Waiguru, Interior CS Kithuri Kindiki, MP Kimani Ichung’wa, Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, and Laikipia East MP Mwangi Kiunjuri. 

It is no doubt that Ruto has surmounted great odds to be able to be where he is. No doubt that few Kenyans can achieve what he has achieved. However, to save his legacy from going over the cliff, his political chest mastery can only be affirmed should he rope in Gachagua’s successor from Mt Kenya. From the pool of potential successors, let’s unpack their viability.

For Kirinyaga Governor Ann Waiguru, the gender card would have given her a competitive edge. However, the burden and gamble at Ruto’s hand cannot be fixed merely on the grounds of gender. Whereas it is a welcome move, it remains untimely. 
As for Ichung’wa, it is likely that Pres.

Ruto will want to retain him as a counter weapon, and buffer to his political attackers and critics. Besides, for Ichung’wa, by going bare knuckles on former Pres.Uhuru and now Gachagua, Pres.Ruto would inherit a big chunk of enemies from supporters of the two political bigwigs.

Mt. Kenya East has fronted Kithure Kindiki as Gachagua’s successor. However, it is no doubt that Pres. Ruto would seek not only a pick from the mountain but also one with the gravitas to hit the ground running. One with the charm that would bequeath him Gachagua’s support base. However, this is something that Kindiki falls short of.

For Ndindi Nyoro, his development record in Kiharu is one worthy of praise. And so is his political mobilization abilities. However, his brief tenure in elective politics is not a good yardstick for Gachagua’s replacement, and for a national voice of reason.

Besides, Nyoro’s explosive nature to counter Pres. Ruto’s critics is a minus for the post of the Deputy President which should be a preserve for a political gentleman since Pres. Ruto is the opposite.

Moreover, Nyoro’s almost zero effort to suppress the Gen-Z protests depicts of a friend who was absent when the president was in need. Also, Nyoro’s silence in the motion to impeach Gachagua and his absence during voting at the national assembly portrays him as one with a hidden card.  And as such, Ruto would be skeptical to be with a Deputy President that he would be forced to engage at arm’s length.
Behold! Here comes the bride.

As for Hon. Mwangi Kiunjuri, all arrows point to him as the most viable and feasible pick for Pres. Ruto. So much is going on for Laikipia East MP Mwangi Kiunjuri. Whereas students can outgrow their masters, evidence abounds to show that Mwangi Kiunjuri is the grand master of Mt. Kenya and national politics from the pool of potential successors. Mwangi Kiunjuri is a Kieni (Nyeri County) born legislator, and by which, grants him a head start as the perfect match for the Gachagua replacement, and the fix to Mt. Kenya East and Mt. Kenya West political feud. 

To ice the cake, Kiunjuri has been around long enough to know other players in Kenya’s political space. Having served under four presidents, Kiunjuri boasts of the ability to make strategic friendships across the board. Moreover, Kiunjuri, with a party of his own (The Service Party-TSP), offers more than just a personality to President Ruto. 

His party has recorded elective successes and would be a huge booster to Pres. Ruto. Kiunjuri’s act and belief on the conviction that there cannot be sacrifice too great to make than that in the interest of common mwananchi, and more so, his pet subject –Agriculture, pass him as a people-centred leader.

It is for this conviction that Kiunjuri despite serving as devolution and planning CS as well as Agriculture CS under President Uhuru’s tenure, he firmly and boldly so, called out Pres. Uhuru when he felt national interests and the interests of Mt Kenya had been sidelined.

Since Ruto is aware that when the mountain rumbles, it moves, he would want an anchor to hold the centre upon Gachagua’s exit. To get one, his pick has to be someone who not only commands authority and respect but also one with a no-nonsense demeanour, zero flower-girl personality and a light-house to the mt. Kenya ship. These are qualities Mt. Kenya people would wish to see their leader proudly wear, and Kiunjuri has adorned them.

Therefore, to appease this block, his Deputy President must come from Mt. Kenya. And the youthful Kiunjuri comes with the bread and butter requisite for the heir apparent to the throne. 

For those who do not understand Kiunjuri and his sacrifices for the country, they prove themselves to be poor at Kenya’s, and more particularly, Mt. Kenya’s political chessboard where as of today, Hon. Mwangi Kiunjuri is the grand master, after former president Uhuru Kenyatta.