• The closest Kenyans came to know of his mind was when Murkomen said in an interview that the DP asked him to remain strong despite the removal.
• Analyst say his silence will confuse his detractors
Deputy President William Ruto has chosen to remain silent as President Uhuru Kenyatta crushes his allies and planning to expand government.
For weeks now the DP is said to be holed up in his official Karen residence “having a good time with his family unperturbed”.
“This government belongs to Uhuru, he can do all he can, bring on board who he wants and sack those he no longer needs. Ruto is just his assistant and at the moment he is at home with his family,” said one of his confidants who sought not to be quoted as he does not speak for the DP.
Apart from offering his condolences to the family of Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula on the demise of the Tony Waswa, the last time Ruto tweeted was on May 11 that same day Uhuru had called a parliamentary group meeting for Jubilee Party senators.
In the tweet, the DP appeared to be questioning the rationale for Uhuru who is also the JP leader to engage in such political activities when the country is grappling with the effects of Covid-19 and floods that have killed and displaced many Kenyans across the country.
“Good people, we are in the middle of corona pandemic, destructive floods and ravaging locust invasion. Many who have lost work, income and livelihood are desperate and hungry. Let's us reach out with food and all kind of support individually where we are able and collectively as GoK,” he tweeted at some minutes to 10 am on Monday.
Ruto is known to speak up his mind and previously he has come out to disassociate the Uhuru with some of the “illegal” activities in the ruling party being undertaken by the likes of chairman Nelson Dzuya, vice chairman David Murathe and secretary-general Raphael Tuju.
Image: DPPS
Ruto has not made a comment since his allies Kipchumba Murkomen (Elgeyo Marakwet Senator) and Nakuru’s Susan Kihika were sacked as Majority leader and Whip respectively.
The changes were instigated by a Uhuru-leaning team of Senators who handed the Majority leader post to West Pokot lawmaker Samuel Poghisio.
Murang’a Senator Irungu Kangata took over from Kihika in changes which Ruto allies have insisted should have been done within the law.
But despite the upheavals with the hallmarks of ultimate fall of Jubilee, the DP has chosen to stay away from the public on the goings-on.
The closest Kenyans came to know of his mind was when Murkomen said in an interview that the DP asked him to remain strong despite the removal.
The lawmaker revealed Ruto advised him that “every great person must go through fire” when he briefed the DP of the latest developments.
“He gave me an example of what they went through with the president. He said my problem compared with ICC, terrorism, opposition protests are small.”
Political analyst Jeremiah Kirui noted that the “cool approach adopted by Ruto will leave his enemies more confused.”
“Silence is a form of communication that is so effective. No one knows what he is planning, his next move, the people he is talking to,” he told the Star on phone.
“When you are silent when all along you have been visible, people will think about you. Your supporters will naturally fight for you, those who are not your supporters will see you as blameless and you will get sympathy,” he added.
Our foundational values as a party was and still remain to be a democracy and we should embrace divergent views without resorting to dictatorial means of resolving issues. To punish these members for taking positions they are entitled is not only discriminatory but also unfair and undemocratic.Soy MP Caleb Kositany
While Ruto has chosen to watch from a distance, his lieutenants have vowed to fight on.
Those who spoke to the Star said their hopes are now on the two cases pending before the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal which they think will give them a lifeline in JP.
“We have cases pending in PPDT now and that is where our focus is now. As we pursue this matter in the legal process, we want to see that the party is run within the confines of the party Constitution and other laws,” JP deputy secretary-general and Soy MP Caleb Kositany told the Star.
Kositany has written to JP chairman Nelson Nzuya terming the move ask five senators to show cause for failing to attend the State House PG “discriminatory”.
Kositany who wrote in his capacity as a party member argued that Dzuya is applying double standards yet some JP MPs campaigned for an ODM candidate during the Kibra by-election in November last year.
“As you are aware, some of our members openly campaigned against our candidate in Kibra by-election last year against the position of the party and your office did not summon them or issued them with letters of show cause,” he said in a letter delivered to the party headquarters on Friday morning.
He added, “This is not to say that the senators disobeyed the party position but to highlight the form of discrimination meted upon them on flimsy allegations as compared to other members who have in the past taken adverse positions to campaign against our candidate.”
Dzuya has written to nominated senators Zawadi, Falhada Dekow Iman, Naomi Jillo Waqo, Victor Prengei, Mary Seneta Yiane and Millicent Omanga.
They have been told to explain when they should not be expelled for snubbing Uhuru’s meeting.
Kositany said the threats for disciplinary action is meant to intimidate and coerce the senators to support illegalities some which have been challenged in court against their wishes.
He said the emerging issues should be handled with sobriety and “pursuant to the party constitution guided by the principles and values of the Constitution of Kenya.”
Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa, a close ally of the DP, said Ruto has also commissioned a smaller team that is meeting with different Kenyan leaders.
The conversations with the said leaders, whose details are yet to be shared, is for them to extend a hand of working together with the DP going forward.
“His political door remains open for all leaders willing to join hands with him for the common good of this country, of course with eyes set on 2022,” Barasa told the Star.