-Remember the Kalenjin nation respected Moi up to his death and therefore there are those that are likely to follow the rungu ya Mzee.
-The Kalenjin community has not had a presidential candidate since 1997 and the 2022 elections, there are clear signs that the Kalenjins will have one.
The handing over of the rungu (baton) to Gideon Moi was very significant. Note that the rungu was first handed over by the family elders to Raymond Moi, the eldest son of the late President Daniel Moi.
That was the first sign that, as the family, they have endorsed Gideon to fit into Moi’s shoes.
Moi was foremost a Kalenjin leader and among the Kalenjins, they say, a family cannot stay without a leader and that is the role Gideon will be playing, not only in the family but in the community as well.
The senior-most political leader the Kalenjin community has had after Moi’s term ended in 2002 is the Deputy President William Ruto.
Now that he has formally been given Mzee’s rungu, that will have significance in the leadership in Rift Valley.
Remember the Kalenjin nation respected Moi up to his death and therefore there are those that are likely to follow the rungu ya Mzee.
The Gideon we saw during the burial ceremony of his father was a fired-up politician -from his grooming to his language-he portrayed himself as a man with on a mission.
Gideon, however, needs to step up his way of doing things.
Rungu alone cannot translate into leadership but he needs to be active in the coming days to build links using the Kanu structures.
Mzee Moi had a network of friends and loyalist who always supported him. The Kalenjin leadership regalia has not been given out to anybody that one that was given out was for the community warrior and therefore the race is open for whoever will prove to have what it takes to lead.
The Kalenjin community has not had a presidential candidate since 1997, but all signs indicate that in 2022 there will be one.
Should both the Deputy President William Ruto and Gideon will be in the ballot, the Kalenjin community will surely be divided between the two.
Kalenjin politicians should think about the future of the community so they do not miss out in the formation of the next government. Gideon and Kanu have become the face of BBI rallies representing Rift Valley and with him being handed over the rungu, he is likely to be emboldened.
The political analyst spoke to the Star