One would easily dismiss all this as smear politics typical of campaign seasons. However, his own confessions and public display of emotional impatience and quick boil at provocation defeats all doubt. In many instances, DP William Ruto has lost his cool and hurled names, stern warnings and, as some politicians have confessed, even directly threatened them.
In December 2019, Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua made a loud public cry that his life was in danger. He narrated the events that took place on Monday, November 25, 2019, at a State House function where President Uhuru Kenyatta was receiving the Building Bridges Initiative report.
He claimed that Ruto’s closest lieutenants, Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen and Garissa Township MP Aden Duale threatened to teach him a lesson. To quote him partially, in written dialogue between him and the two that he read in a televised presser, Mutua quotes Duale as asking him “Utafanya nini? Wewe unajua there are 50,000 Kambas in Garissa and I can deal with them?” Translated as: (What will you do? Do you know there are 50,000 people of Kamba origin in Garissa and I can deal with them?)
Mutua further claimed that on December 11, 2019, he was again in State House for a state banquet in honour of the Barbados Prime Minister. He said that no sooner had he left the safe company of Raila Odinga than he met Ruto and Duale.
The governor claimed that the Deputy President gripped his hand so tightly that he felt pain. The DP went on to tell him that he will “hit” him as he had been attacking him lately. He narrated that the DP shoved him aside and told him that “he will see”. This is a short phrase that is used to promise someone that they will be dealt with.
To confirm that Murkomen, Duale and Ruto were in synch in threatening the poor governor, Duale asked Mutua, “Did we not tell you?"
Show me the crowd you run in and I will tell you who you are.
In a most recent development, Ruto is heard addressing elders where he tells them that he once told the President that he was tempted to slap him. Let us not imagine what would follow such an unwise act in terms of making it clear who is who, but if he can openly tell the President that he is tempted to slap him, how much more ruthless can he get with the common wananchi, especially those who criticise him?
A first-hand account by Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa details how Ruto was so furious with him, to a point where he wanted to slap him for taking a delegation to meet President Kenyatta. Wamalwa also reports that Ruto once wanted to slap CS Fred Matiang’i over a difference they had.
In a clip that has been going around, Ruto is seen confronting a member of the public at his rally. Ruto tries to seize control of the shouting crowd in vain. Finally, he narrows down to a young man who tries to express himself. Ruto loses his cool and furiously asks the young man who he thinks he is to address him.
All these incidents, and many others that will not fit in this space portray the Deputy President as a temperamental person who is intolerant and overly aggressive. One is right to worry about what could happen if all the instruments of power were placed in his hands.
Our disciplined forces are strongly armed, trained and equipped. They take orders from the commander in chief. When the public disagrees with the government and decides to picket and demonstrate, it takes a leader with very elastic tolerance, patience and self-control. It would be so ugly if a president orders the police to use all force available to crack down on demonstrating citizens.
Much worse, he could order the military to leave our borders and their strategic defence stations to come and punish demonstrating citizens. A commander in chief with a short temper that he cannot manage will crack down heavily on critics, both political opponents and civil society. He will easily get provoked to declare war on other nations on matters that require some patience, decorum and diplomacy to settle. Where would that leave our region, continent, in terms of peace and stability?
DP Ruto is a good orator. He is a Kenyan by right. What he is not, is fit to be president of Kenya. The position comes with a lot of pressure and responsibility. One is tempted and his tolerance and patience can be stretched extremely. The position can only be held by a person who can demonstrate self-control, patience and emotional control.
Ruto is not that person.
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