Careful! Whenever William
Ruto has appeared weak,
he has re-emerged even
stronger. When Uhuru
Kenyatta abandoned him and sought
to cripple his political career, Ruto
defied the odds, outmanoeuvred the
system and ascended to the presidency.
Now, as critics speculate that
his agreement with Raila Odinga signals weakness, they may be in for
yet another surprise.
This is classic
Ruto — turning adversity into opportunity, leveraging challenges as
stepping stones to consolidate power
and advance his governance agenda.
In Kenyan politics, pragmatism often trumps ideology. President Ruto
understands this reality better than
most, and his latest move — securing
a working agreement between the
ruling United Democratic Alliance
and the opposition Orange Democratic Movement — is a testament
to his commitment to governance
over endless political bickering.
On
March 7, UDA and ODM formalised
an agreement to collaborate on critical government policies. Both Ruto
and Raila emphasised that this was
not a power-sharing deal but rather
a framework for joint consultations
on national matters, aimed at reducing tensions and fostering cooperative governance.
This development has sparked
mixed reactions. Critics see it as
a betrayal of the opposition’s role,
while supporters hail it as a masterstroke in consolidating national
unity.
However, beyond the politics,
what matters most is governance
— how Kenya is run, how services
are delivered, and how efficiently
institutions function. This is drive where Ruto’s true focus lies, and he
initiated it immediately after he took
power in 2022.
RE-ENGINEERING THE PUBLIC
SERVICE
From the outset of his administration, President Ruto entrusted Chief
of Staff and Head of Public Service,
Felix Koskei, with one of the most
consequential mandates — transforming Kenya’s public service to
function efficiently, transparently
and with integrity.
Unlike in previous administrations where public
service reforms were largely rhetorical, Koskei has been relentless
in tackling systemic inefficiencies,
wastage, and corruption head-on.
Under Koskei’s leadership, the
government has cut down turnaround times for essential services,
ensuring Kenyans no longer have to
navigate endless bureaucratic red
tape to access their rightful entitlements.
Efficiency is no longer just
an aspiration — it has become the
defining standard of public administration.
But Koskei’s impact extends far
beyond administrative efficiency. He
has been outspoken against corruption and financial mismanagement,
and his actions have had real consequences.
The introduction of a
zero-fault audit system has placed
accounting officers squarely on the
hook for any misuse of public funds
— whether through negligence or
outright theft.
Heads have rolled,
and several high-ranking officials
have been suspended, sacked, or
prosecuted after being caught with
their fingers in the cookie jar.
His
no-nonsense approach has sent shockwaves through the civil service, forcing a long-overdue culture
shift in government accountability.
Yet, the fight against corruption
has not been without resistance.
Legal battles and bureaucratic
pushback have slowed efforts to hold
individuals accountable, and some
cases remain entangled in court
processes.
However, Koskei and the administration have remained undeterred,
ensuring that reforms are pursued
with the urgency they deserve. The
message is clear — public service is
no longer a haven for complacency,
and those who fail to meet the mark
will have no place in
government.
UDA-ODM POLICY COLLABORATION
While the Ruto-Raila pact is not
about power-sharing, its potential
impact on governance is significant.
Political stability is a prerequisite for
economic progress, and by bringing
together the two most influential political forces in the country, Kenya
stands to benefit immensely.
When
political parties collaborate on policy rather than constantly clashing,
reforms are implemented faster.
The perpetual tug-of-war that has
traditionally derailed progress — in
which one side of the political divide seeks to sabotage government
efforts — can be neutralised through
structured dialogue.
If ODM lends
its voice to UDA’s policy agenda,
critical reforms in infrastructure,
healthcare, education and economic
revival can be pursued with national
consensus.
This is a page straight out of the
Mwai Kibaki playbook.
During Kibaki’s presidency, broad-based cooperation, particularly in his first
term under the National Rainbow
Coalition, Kenya experienced one
of its fastest economic growth periods.
Institutions were strengthened, service delivery improved and
corruption — though still present
— was tackled with a seriousness
that yielded results. Kenya must
return to such governance, where
politics serves development rather
than obstructing it.
THE BIRD: RAILA’S POLITICAL
EVOLUTION
Those criticising Raila Odinga for
aligning with Ruto must acknowledge the realities of political survival. Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall
Apart captures this truth through
Eneke the bird, who said.
“Since
men have learned to shoot without
missing, I have learned to fly without perching.”
Raila has been at the
threshold of power multiple times
— 1997, 2007, 2013, 2017, and
2022 — only to be denied the ultimate prize. Each time he has lost, his
supporters have borne the greatest
brunt of exclusion from government, leading to significant political
and economic frustrations.
Can anyone blame him for adapting? Should he continue leading a
section of the country into perpetual opposition without offering
them opportunities to participate
in governance? Leadership is about
securing the best possible outcomes
for one’s constituents, and Raila is
simply playing the game as it must
be played.
HATE THE GAME, NOT THE PLAYER
The lesson here is simple: governance is bigger than individual
ambitions. Ruto’s willingness to
embrace the enterprise of ideas —
whether from his allies or former
rivals — is a mark of leadership.
This
coalition of policies, rather than positions, is an opportunity to accelerate development and push through
long-overdue reforms. The sceptics
will talk, the purists will frown, but
the country must move forward.
The challenge now is execution.
With the ongoing process of transforming the public service under
Koskei, Kenya has a real chance at
transformation. But for that to happen, all hands must be on deck.
The
focus must remain on results. Politics will always be politics, but governance is what will define Kenya’s
future. Ruto’s bold gamble: the enterprise of ideas and the urgency of
good governance.
The writer
is a political
commentator