GIOKO: Kenya’s trajectory is slippery; end the madness now

The country's trajectory is quite slippery: The hired and inspired demonstrators have discovered fire again since the prehistoric age, when hunters' game fell on fire and tasted good, cooking was discovered, and we have never turned back.

Let us hope against hope that this time round, arsonists will not acquire a taste for this. My big disclaimer is that I don't support the two antagonists and will give my reasons.

I will start with the president, William Ruto, and his deputy, Rigathi Gachagua.

Leadership is grace; it calls for a certain threshold of humility that is rare in most people. The moment you are declared a winner of whatever level of leadership, you break out of your party cocoon like an evolving butterfly and grow wings.

You cease being a party (narrow base) caterpillar and become a beautiful butterfly (national base). It will not hurt you if you stop talking in activism frequency with a high dose of threats and chest-thumping.

Accommodate all the leaders; the government belongs to all 52 million Kenyans. Apportioning a few critical positions to specific people will not hurt anybody; instead, it will bring the feeling of ownership and enhance cohesiveness and peace.

When you assume power, your first critical assignment is to offer an outstretched hand, an invite to the table to all you were contesting with and join hands to build the nation. Us versus them divide doesn't cut; the shareholding narrative is wildly misplaced, and all taxpayers are shareholders. The ongoing dissolution of parties is also not good for democracy; too big is too bad. Allow space for dissenting views and demonstrate a knack for criticism; this is healthy and builds people.

On the hand, Raila Odinga aka Baba, the cost of living shot up during the last years of your extended tenure. Yes, you were in power with President Uhuru Kenyatta but never raised a finger.

The incumbent President literally and figuratively inherited your economy, budget, work plans and government. He has yet to read his budget and has little time to implement it so that we can judge him.

The new government was completed barely a week ago upon the appointment of the 50 CAS, a move I'm afraid I must disagree with. Wouldn't it have been better to give this young government at least the benefit of reading their budget and a year or so after that to see where they are headed?

The demos now seem more intent on ensuring the economy doesn't pick up and stays suppressed as you work the crowds to some other goal instead of sufurianomics (food prices).

The keyword it seems, and this gives legitimacy to your cause. This is vital to any massive movement involving the people. If the demos were called a year after the budget, believe you me, this will count big as an authentic narrative to all. As the foremost senior and experienced politicians have the hearts of Kenyans first, timing is everything. We are not all happy with the price of Unga, but your demos at this point and time will not help reduce the cost of Unga; most likely, they will make it shoot up.

I urge the two of you to meet minus your hardliners. You may even do it discreetly, seeing that you are long-time friends and cohorts. Work out the butterfly issues (national base) and agree on a working formula.

Young ones have missed school for several days now, and no one wants them growing up knowing that you two messed up their schooling career and their lives just because you couldn't drop your fragile political stances.

Personal properties are being invaded, an action that is not worthy of our relatively stable democracy. Please do it for Kenya and the 52 million Kenyans; we have no other home to go to.

Please do it now; tomorrow, there might be only ashes and nobody to talk to. God bless you; God bless Kenya.

Kanyi Gioko is a digital content curriculum developer and researcher