Plans to derail Deputy President William Ruto's 2022 bid will not succeed. Kenyans have progressed in their political thinking and cannot be part of a 'betrayal agenda' targeting one individual and having no relevance to daily bread-and-butter issues.
The rank and file of this bandwagon are people pursuing selfish agendas, some harbouring misplaced vendettas against the DP. Listening to them speak, you can hear they lack any coherent people-centred message. They persist in mudslinging the DP which this irks their audiences and betrays their ulterior intentions. The people have 'no beef' with the DP and by c attacking his character, these individuals isolate themselves further from the people.
This group contains a conspicuous cluster of perennial political failures. It has been observed that the leaders with mandates have consistently supported the DP, accompany him and openly declare their support.
This goes hand in hand with the groundswell of grassroots support the DP enjoys, demonstrated on several occasions when crowds demand he addresses them impromptu. A case in point was in Kiambu on Sunday.
If indeed their anti-Ruto antics were working, the DP would be an unwelcome guest in Mt Kenya but he still enjoys massive support and following in that region.
It is common knowledge that this group fighting Ruto is under pay from some quarter. It is only a matter of time before it dawns on them that it is not about corruption but the Ruto- Raila Odinga face-off.
Line ups are taking shape.
Finally, DP Ruto is the joint architect with President Uhuru Kenyatta of the Jubilee promise to Kenya. This confers upon him the exclusive advantage of being first among equals in the Kenyatta Succession.
In this regard, Ruto becomes the only beneficiary of the Jubilee Succession Plan. As the Principal Assistant to the President, he supports the President to realise his legacy. He is also working on his development credentials which he shall use to present himself to Kenyans in due time.
DP Ruto is inextricably connected at the hip with President Kenyatta as his Deputy President and Deputy party leader. This duality will in the long run offer him safety from the malicious intentions of his political detractors.
The political and governance expert spoke to the Star
