It's not over yet between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto. As they say, it's not over 'til the fat lady sings. But it's obvious the friendship has been downgraded and there's a lack of trust on both sides. Buckle up.
The Registrar of Political Parties has confirmed that a couple of parties are being registered. Most important, Ruto lieutenants have spoken about them.
We can see that the Uhuru-Ruto friendship has been downgraded by the President and by his handlers. In the five years they have worked together, the President consistently and respectfully called Ruto as "my deputy" or "my brother".
But a couple of weeks ago, the President seemed to be chiding him in public, referring to him as "that one". This speaks to how their friendship and union have changed.
Ruto's lieutenants' reaction to Uhuru's call a lifestyle audit, show discomfort on the Ruto side about the entire exercise. This raises questions. Has the President has come to learn of something that has disappointed him about integrity and leadership? Is it possible that for the entire five years the President chose to ignore or was unaware of these issues?
The confidence level on both sides seems to have changed drastically. Look at the body language and analyse the words of Duale, Murkomen and others from the Rift Valley. They clearly don't entirely trust the President or his advisers and handlers.
But remember that Ruto and Uhuru came together in 2012 in a marriage of convenience and self interest. If the reason that brought them together is no longer valid, that relationship would change.
The ICC was a big factor but it's no longer an issue. And Uhuru is no longer running for office so coalition building doesn't matter right now. He wants to leave a stable country that is not in turmoil.
So the President's interests and Ruto's interests are worlds apart. This divergence is going to cause tremors.
The governance expert spoke to the Star