Competition, not competence, caused Ruto’s fall

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By KWENDO OPANGA
Posted  Saturday, August 27  2011 at  15:55

IN SUMMARY

• Fear: Tellingly, Mr Ruto’s allies revealed they were fighting the PM because they feared he would have the same hold on the Kalenjin that he has on his Luo community

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The sacking of Mr Wiliam Ruto from the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) side of the Grand Coalition Cabinet had nothing to do with his self-declared outstanding performance which, he says, courted the displeasure of Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Secondly, Mr Ruto was not appointed to the Cabinet because he was a performer, even if he is.

He was appointed because he was the loud and proud, aggressive and abrasive sidekick of the PM at the time (2008) and fitted perfectly in the PM’s scheme of thinking then and going forward.

That he commanded the unwavering support of the Kalenjin people and was a strong supporter of ODM made him a valued asset of the PM’s.

Indeed, his condemnation of those he thought stole the 2007 presidential election made him an even better weapon in Mr Odinga’s arsenal.

When he joined the ODM team that was assembled to negotiate with the Party of National Unity (PNU) side and emerged as a counterweight to quick witted and sharper tongued Ms Martha Karua, the PM marked him out as a four-star general in his — and for his — cause and pursuit.

However, Mr Odinga’s cause and pursuit, that is drive to the presidency, was not to be realised solely through the Cabinet. To get into government, Mr Odinga needed a political party. It is why the Eldoret North MP and Mr Odinga would find themselves in the leadership of ODM and in Cabinet.

Presidents and prime ministers may appoint people to their Cabinets because they are competent, but they also expect them to fall in their columns in pushing their agenda through the legislative and electoral processes. Mr Ruto clearly had other ideas. Therefore, he and the PM fell out.

Again, the two did not fall out because Mr Ruto outshone the PM in the performance of his duties as a minister, even if he did. The seeds of this fallout were sown when Mr Ruto thought he should have been named deputy prime minister.

It should be remembered that during this time of formation of the coalition government it became clear that Mr Ruto thought that the Rift Valley did not get the plum positions he thought it deserved having provided solid support for Mr Odinga and ODM.

At this juncture, it must have dawned on Mr Odinga that Mr Ruto was not to be content with being a loyal lieutenant and having shelved his presidential ambition to back him in 2007, he would not play ball in 2012.

The upshot of this is that Mr Ruto had now emerged as a serious competitor, but there was a problem. He was competing with the party leader in the party and this competition was dividing party faithful and spilling over into government.

Soon the party leader and deputy party leader — the PM and minister for Agriculture — were locking horns on virtually every issue no matter how important or mundane.

Tellingly, Mr Ruto’s allies revealed they were fighting the PM because they feared he would have the same hold on the Kalenjin that he has on his Luo community.

The fight between Mr Ruto and Mr Odinga is, therefore, one of political competition and not executive competence. Mr Ruto, who has been the aggressor, is perhaps convinced that when he exits ODM he will have done irreparable damage to Mr Odinga as to whip him in 2012.

In propaganda terms, Mr Ruto has whipped Mr Odinga comprehensively by all the time portraying himself as a man more sinned against and bullied by Mr Odinga but never ever sinning against the PM. Most of the time, Mr Odinga has been out of his depth in dealing with Mr Ruto’s propaganda.

Now it was Lyndon Baines Johnson, aka LBJ, President of the United States between 1963 and 1969, who said thus of a dissenting colleague: “I would rather have that guy inside my tent peeing out than outside my tent peeing in.”

The difference here is that Mr Ruto is in Mr Raila’s tent (party) and doing it in the tent. The difference here is that Mr Ruto will do it in the tent whether he is in or out of it. It is why I agree with him when he says that his sacking is of no consequence.

His war against the PM continues. But take it from me, (President) Ruto would have Mr Joshua Kutuny in his tent and ensure Mr Musa Sirma is kept miles away from it.

Kwendo Opanga is a media consultant opanga@diplomateastafrica.com