Uhuru's polygamy might bring down the country

Many traditional African homes were characterised by polygamy that played a very central role in how the society functioned. In these polygamous setups three things were palpable. The first wife enjoyed a lot of privileges and power. The second, or the last wife, was, evidently, the most loved and finally, the husband of these wives required a lot of philosophy to make the centre hold. One of the philosophical underpinnings was that two or more women married to you could not share a house.

Uhuru Kenyatta is a political polygamist with Deputy President William Ruto, as his first wife and Raila Odinga as his second wife. Kenyans have been watching the President trying to maintain peace and harmony in these two houses but it seems he is not mature enough to maintain handle these two politically charged wives. As soon as Uhuru brought a second wife into the homestead, a lot of smoke began coming out of the first wife’s house. But because of the longevity of the smoke from this house, I have reasons to believe there is fire.

The fire coming from the first house, I want to assume, is as a result of news going around the homestead that the husband has great admiration for the second wife and that the second wife is likely to inherit from the husband. Of late, it is being said, the husband has been pouring cold water on his affair with the first wife in a roundabout way. He no longer consults the first wife on the attire for the day, holds her hand in public, showers her with praises and compliments, takes her out for lunch in smoky places and treats her friends with love and kid gloves.

Because of this, her friends are out to defend her, reminding all the neighbours how the two started from scratch. The second wife, on the other hand, is going around the village looking pampered, loved and making claims that the first wife has been stealing from villagers instead of playing his role in the homestead.

What shocked many villagers, was the claim made by the first wife and her friends that some individuals are plotting to kill her.

Now I ask the question, who wants Ruto dead? There can only be three options. Raila, Uhuru or Ruto himself. That Raila does not have state power to assemble more than top 40 government officials only leaves us with two options.

So why would the President or people close to the presidency want Ruto dead? First, the deep state might not be happy with a Ruto presidency. And here, Ruto can take a leaf from Tom Mboya's book. This reminds me of the play Julius Caesar. In his speech while addressing people at Caesar's ease’s funeral, Brutus says they killed Caesar because of his ambition. “Had you rather Caesar were living and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men? As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honour him: but, as he was ambitious, I slew him.” The deep state, in my thinking, might find Ruto too ambitious a person to secure their interests.

Secondly, Ruto might not be the preferred candidate for Uhuru or the deep state in 2022. But one would ask, why don’t they then wait for the ballot to decide? I would like to remind them that elections are rarely won on the ballot in any part of this world. That’s why Mark Twain once said, “If voting made any difference they wouldn’t let us do it.” Because Ruto has been part of the system, and because of his dominant role in the 2013 and 2017 elections, he might probably know what goes into winning an election in this country. And therefore allowing him to be on the ballot might be a tall order for the deep state.

Now why would Ruto want to kill himself? We all know he can’t. I say this to mean that the assassination allegations against Ruto might just be fake so as to get some sympathy from two categories of people. First, the Kalenjins are likely to be fully united behind Ruto because he is one of them. Second, many Kenyans who think the system is always protecting their interests might also rally behind Ruto on the thinking that he is trying topple the system for them.

But to avoid any of these two marriages from collapse, because that might collapse the country, Uhuru should stop being deceitful to Kenyans. I say so because the President is either being dishonest with William Ruto or Raila Odinga. The President should tell the country what the handshake is all about. Because, from where I sit, only the President knows the plans he has for Raila and Ruto. Ruto and Raila are operating in the dark, both trying to make intelligent guesses. The President might actually be untruthful with both of them.