Brokers urging Uhuru on post-2022 are killers of democracy

Hitherto fiercest rivals, the detractors and enemies of President Uhuru Kenyatta are presently mischievously promoting or condoning the false narrative that he can be in office after 2022.

None of them wants to speak truth to power. In my view, they are being clever to a fault. Through their allies, they are cunningly giving Uhuru false comfort that 'he will go nowhere,' or that he will donate the 'deep state' to them.

Also, his deputy, William Ruto, won't make the mistake of being seen to wish his boss a scheduled exit.

All of them believe they will inherit the state machinery, the so-called instruments of the 'deep state' to ascend to power on his retirement. 

In 1976, Attorney General Charles Njonjo criminalised any dream, contemplation, imagination or planning of Jomo Kenyatta's succession.

Because of the capture of state instruments at that time, the real rivals of  Vice President Daniel Moi were unfortunately grouped in a rather tribal camp.

Yet their cacophonous fears were loudly vindicated in the era of errors that visited economic decay and institutional collapses on the 24-year Moi kleptocracy.

Of course, the man from Sacho had his highs, deservedly so. But to be fair to history,  he started well 1978 but by 1983, his reign was just ruinous, painful.

Under him, state governance deteriorated. His Nyayos became elephant trampings (to paraphrase Ford's Salim Ahmed Bamariz). The stories of Tom Mboya and JM Kariuki were replicated in Robert Ouko, Alexander Muge and more. 

Anyway, Moi had beautiful attributes that were easily overwhelmed by his phobia for (in ex-minister Kipruto Kirwa's words) the majority.

If strong and conscious leaders had stood up boldly earlier than after the infamous 1988 mlolongo voting,  Moi wouldn't have become the notorious president he became.

But for their individual interests, they all hoped their peers or presumed competitors would fall by the wayside for them to win favour with Moi.

If more mainstream conscientious leaders acted with foresight, 1990-91 would have come earlier. And maybe Moi would have been moderated, stayed a better course. To 'fuata nyayo', good souls became complicit in the era of misfortunes.

Indeed, a veep would claim poisoning on self but still not hang up the boots. As of a hyena, the hand would fall one day soon! Ultimately, the urafiki didn't work. Tears galore. 

I was present in 2003 when 'Njamba' Agwambo was humiliated at our backyard's historic Ruring'u stadium by two then arrogantly powerful new rainbow ministers. 

One of them was the MC. One, sadly, didn't finish his term. The other one left in ridiculous, infamy and ignominy, never to return.

The bad manners of the new power brokers who ignored the sober voices of Prof Wangari Maathai and VP Kijana Wamalwa caused the regrettable split, precipitating ugly falling outs into the 2005 referendum that was the last supper menu of bitter oranges and rotten bananas.

Almost all those who spoilt the Narc party are in the doldrums, stalked by their weird shadows. Gone. Forgotten. The only nostalgia they carry is the loot that we doubt they're enjoying in any peace. 

We have said before. We won't tire to say it again. UhuRuto was a poisoned chalice, but a necessity in the face of neocolonial conspiracies. An unholy alliance though inevitable.

The alternative, the UhuRao bridge that some of us so passionately urged and so untirelessly promoted has collapsed (or has it?)  precisely because the merchants of impunity and looting simply exchanged batons. The relay has continued.

So, instead of Raila gaining traction amongst a restless Jubilee 'concert', he is deemed just that: Scavenger.

Then the presumed villain, he has become a popular victim. So, the support for William Ruto is spreading like an insurgency, an infantry.

Victimhood is paying off. Amidst this, the wannabes are on the fence, waiting to scramble for the political carcass, consequent to UhuRuto attrition and UhuRao inertia. Luckily, it won't be easy to reach the granary. 

In the view from a small hill straddling smaller ridges on the border of three mountainous counties of Kirinyaga, Gaki/Rware and Metumi, anyone caressing Uhuru and saying that he'll be in charge of or part of the edifice post-2022 is simply offering ego massage to ingratiate themselves.

Singapore's CEO Lee Hsien Loong is the son of legendary founding leader Lee Kuan Yew.

Malaysia, South Korea and Singapore are widely featured as Kenya's age-mates in 1963.

To be fair, and notwithstanding other independent assessments of his regime, Mzee Kenyatta left a fairly economically prosperous young nation.

His successor Moi took us extremely 'South'. But don't mistake me,  Mzee had his big failures and Moi had his tangible successes. How can Uhuru compare with [Singapore Prime Minister] Lee Hsien Loong?

Mwai Kibaki was a midwife for a transition, generational and for political order. Amiable, politically tolerant, resilient, with the urbane demeanour and, more importantly, a  clear economic vision.

He remains admired for rescuing this great country. He crafted Vision 2030 and had the National Economic and Social Council that drew the eminent from within and afar - Britain, Japan and Singapore -included.

Many may easily disagree, but Kibaki's miss was his failure to effectively unite a fractious country vide pre-election MoU with LDP and to end endemic corruption. Do we blame the mafia?

Perhaps partially. But let's give Kibaki his due: He exemplified modesty and decency in power. We think only the 2007 electoral confusion blotted an otherwise impeccable career replete with sterling intellectual credentials. 

Despite his towering figure and sacrifices, Kibaki has no single public feature named after him.

Not that offers have not been made — including Thika Superhighway and Othaya Hospital. He seems to like it another way.

That is the hallmark of his gentlemanly mien. More importantly, he is enjoying his retirement and peace, without any fear or worry that anyone will go knocking on the doors of his family for ill or something else against the public interest when he reigned. We are not saying that he is perfect. Far from it. 

Rather, our point is that those beckoning or grooming or entrapping Uhuru to consider being in the ring post-2022 aren't doing justice to him.

They are enemies of Kenya. They are emasculators of the rule of law, rapists of justice and killers of our nascent democracy. They want to annihilate constitutionalism. 

Those of us who have been privileged to play a core role in the Uhuru administration ask him to reject and dismiss these infertile calls. Precisely because they're trying to bestow on him contempt and disdain. Exactly because such suggestions are hollow.

The onus is on Uhuru to register and cement his image, reputation and legacy by mercilessly fighting runaway, endemic corruption and impunity. 

Uhuru should dismiss the gluttonous mandarins and mercilessly crack the whip on a filthy stinking Cabinet.

He should then call a truce, form an inclusive transition government for national unity into 2022. The prevailing din and notoriety would probably calm.

And then, with clear horizons in sight, he can proudly exit the stage ensuring electoral justice. Of course, he may still be set to do this, or much more. Isn't it good to still have hope?

The President must be very very careful about those in his corner right now.

And he should even be more careful of the 'support' he is receiving from sycophants of his erstwhile political nemesis. Aren't they sadistically leading him down the garden path? What irony!  What paradox! 

Those who speak now won't be friends to those who are ravenously extracting wealth from the public coffers. Looting just turned into sadism.

It is normal: Greed and sycophancy are blind twins. On the other hand, those spewing these unsolicited public 'advisories' may be plunging into folly...enemies. 

All said and done, the President is extremely present in an unenviable space. In under 23 months,  he is obligated to achieve, secure and spur greatness.

Running late, but it is still practically possible for him to imbue inspiration, revive the economy and fortify the country. It is up to him; it is a privilege of duty, for the pride of legacy.

For us, we choose to still support him, as our inherent patriotic duty. But first, let us tell it as it is, the political scavengers and risks of being misunderstood or harmed by desperados notwithstanding. 

In the view and verdict of many, we are in perilous times. Unless a masterful hand brings the ship back on course, doom lurks.

Even hope preachers can easily admit that the State of the Nation is on the cliff, on the brink of the precipice. And only one man has the mandate and the instruments to save us from impending disaster. Will he? 

Good Lord bless us,  guide us,  protect us.

The writer is the former Mukurweini MP

@wakabando