Look at how Raila is arming Ruto

Kipkoech Tanui

There is a strong smell searing the nose from a political court case someone in Orange Movement has filed against Mr William Ruto and four of his buddies. Instead of alluring fresh air and white smoke from Orange House, we now have repulsive wisps of political intolerance, reprisal and punishment, which we were told were Kanu’s monopoly. That is why I have left out ODM’s middle name.

It is strange because ODM, today has enough problems with the top to open new battlefronts with ordinary members such as the nominated councillors it tried to throw into the streets. You see, by surrendering a political war to lawyers and judges, ODM or Raila, or whoever has given him the long rope to hang, Tinga has handed chests of ammunition to Ruto and his foot soldiers.

Not that the Eldoret MP needs anyone’s protection or advice.

He has proved time and again it is from himself that he needs protection. That, so long as his ears pick up wild cheers from his ‘supporters’ at rallies, and when his eyes see nothing but State House opening its doors for him as they shut behind President Kibaki’s back, he strides determinedly into the animal park convinced every raven, serpent and wolf is his friend because they need him more than he needs them.

Ruto’s strategy against Raila in Rift Valley was to make him unpalatable to Kalenjin voters. That is why they were drilled Raila led Mau Forest evictions as vendetta against them; Tinga sat with Luis Ocampo and drew up list of six and ensured three Nandis were on it; Arap Mibei incited arrests of Kalenjin youths linked to clashes fought under No Raila, No peace banner; Agwambo worships the goddess of asante ya punda ni mateke and that is why he made sure Ruto faced court cases; Arap Odinga fears Ruto that is why he ensured he is out of Cabinet; and this former detainee is shetani (evil), a claim met with uproar of Ashindwe! at Ruto’s rallies.

Now despite all these claims, which scare many Kalenjin politicians into silence, fence-sitting or Ruto’s corner, some Kalenjins were stuck in ODM-UDM (or is it G7 or Uhuru Inc. junction).

You would hear them calling Kass FM asking to be told what exactly Arap Nyancha (Son of the Lake) did to make the Kibaki-Uhuru axis seem white as snow.

Political fixers

They also advised in situations like this, where Tinga despite shrinking popularity in opinion polls still leads, and given an ICC machete is still on Uhuru and Ruto necks, it is wise not to openly antagonise and insult him.

They counselled, yes plot your own path to State House but do not personalise the war with him because he may just make it to State House and you do not want Kalenjins to take the place on the backbench furnace members that the Luo community occupied under Kenyatta and early years of Moi.

It was during this period of ostracism of Luo infamous Kanu Briefs insultingly wrote Jaramogi, Raila’s father, led a group of Luo politicians whose favourite programme on VoK Radio, “appears to be Matangazo ya Vifo (Death announcements) from which they locate funerals in Luo Nyanza and go to preach their politics of backwardness and rebellion”.

These moderate voices among Kalenjins also advised that the community should support Ruto yes, but those uncomfortable with him should be let free because that is their democratic right and it is also not wise to put all your eggs in one basket. They also advised that it might be irrational to expect to win State House race solely on an anti-Raila platform.

They also drew attention to central Kenya, which they rightly argued is more suspicious of  Raila than the Kalenjin, but which appears more restrained in language and vitriol against him.

In short, they said run away from Raila if you want, but do not burn your bridges even if you must. It is this group that kept asking what exactly did Raila do to Ruto, should this be seen as condemnation of a whole community, and where is the line between truth and lies on what Ruto and Raila say.

So when Raila, or his political fixers decided to try and get Ruto and the three Rift MPs out of Parliament through court, and over 30 councillors into joblessness through expulsion, it gave Ruto ammunition he was running out of, replenished the well of ethnic sympathy that was drying up, and cast Raila as vengeful, intolerant, and insensitive.

In short, Raila has either given up on Kalenjins or chosen to bare concealed fangs and at same time dance to the song of hardliners around him, who hope to either cling to his coat-tails for parliamentary, gubernatorial and senatorial seats, or outshine others in predatory rather than protective formation over him.

nyanza activist

The complication however is that by going for Ruto, who is busy devaluing his election vehicle with cheap spare-parts from hte likes of Eugene, Mithika and Mwakwere, Raila is also hurting his national image as democrat once detained for fighting repression. The fact Ruto and his group have not left ODM despite all the noise should be an indictment on their part, not Raila.

It may help Railalets to understand Kalenjins are historically proud people and when a man is down and you take advantage of his prostration, you are deemed a coward and invite hate.

That is what Raila is doing and it does not matter what Chapters of Constitution his hardliners quote to justify expulsion and court cases. The fact is Raila will be a presidential candidate and they will not.

And we have not even spoken about how Raila, much like Kibaki did with ECK, picked Rosa Buyu, a Nyanza ODM activist to the selection panel to give us next year’s election managers. 

The writer is Managing Editor, Daily Editions, at The Standard.

ktanui@standardmedia.co.ke