Since the launch of the Jubilee fumigation by President Uhuru Kenyatta, DP William Ruto has maintained a studious silence.
This despite the chastising of his key generals Kipchumba Murkomen and Aden Duale.
For a man known to shoot straight from his trouser belt, the Ruto silence has been loud. Very loud.
Ruto has elected not to condemn his boss, President Kenyatta, at least publicly.
But privately, he has been seething with rage, wearing a demeanor and bitterness of a betrayed man.
During the burial of one Mzee Tarus, Ruto weighed in on the purge, betraying the feelings of his innermost self.
He looked and felt bitter, but fell short of calling out his boss for the betrayal.
Tactfully, he urged for unity. But it hurt to see his team, his select sky outfit being scattered like wheat on the drying field.
He looked helpless but not hopeless. Why? The DP will want to maintain a semblance of ambiance in Government.
After all, his food, clothing, sanitizer equipment water, security, and medical care is footed by the government.
He maintained his trademark and now tiring political cliche: That he still calls shots in Jubillee despite his supporters having been kicked out like leppers by President Kenyatta.
For good measure and avoidance of doubt, it is Uhuru himself who is fighting Ruto.
With the end result being to end Ruto’s March to state House, just like President Moi did to his Vice President George Saitoti in 2002.
Here DP Ruto:
“A lot of work we (Jubilee) have done in Kenya is based on unity, playing politics without tribalism… Even though we have many challenges in parties, we should all know that where you will succeed is where you are working together.”
A victim of his own gun
Whatever this statement means, only Ruto knows.
He (Ruto) procured his current position through a tribal alliance between the Kalenjin and Kikuyu.
The alliance was informed by a truce between Uhuru and Ruto, after they were both charged with murder, rape and destruction of property at the Hague.
This alliance was therefore a selfish deal between the political ambitions of the two. But they clothed it to appear like a tribal cause.
And so as they divorce, Uhiruto are desperate to carry along their tribes…by force.
That is why Ruto broke his silence in Kalenjin nation. And is determined to poison his tribesmen that his political tribulations is an affront against them.
His sentiments at the funeral depicted the deputy president as one who is silently scheming a comeback strategy while treading on a tight rope between allegiance to Uhuru and supporting his footsoldiers.
On Saturday 5th July, the Deputy Presiden at his Sugoi home clergymen, as well as some of his supporters for a special prayer service.
Ruto spoke and feigned a need to maintain a united front in the Jubilee party, despite massive threats towards the careers of those close to him.
“In today’s Kenya, several politicians linked to me are being threatened that they’d be taken to court for alleged graft-related offenses, face tax evasion charges, or they’ll be investigated by EACC and jailed.
“I ask you all, more so members of Jubilee Party, not to accept divisive and tribal politics. We have to chart our path together,” said DP Ruto.
Was this genuine or is it a PR stunt and alibi aimed at cushioning himself in case things boil over?
Tribal chiefs vs Hustler Nation
Elsewhere, MPs allied to the deputy president have been trooping their electoral backyards, to protest the purge, claiming that the President was out to thwart their presidential ambitions.
One such legislator, Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri said: “When Uhuru and Ruto came together in 2013, they vowed to unite the country – until after 2017, when the Handshake and Building Bridges Initiative came in. The proponents of the two are after glorifying tribal chiefs and Dr Ruto refused and that’s why he is being fought.”
Jubilee deputy secretary-general Caleb Kositany took the opportunity to seemingly attack himself. He questioned why the party had no offices in constituencies across the country.
“Those asking why the DP is silent, who do you want him to engage? Those who are regrouping have not come up with their candidate. Let them decide first then we will deal with them politically,” said Kositany.
“If in Uasin Gishu County, the home of the deputy party leader of Jubilee, has no party office, how are the funds that we contribute monthly and other donations spent?” added the Soy legislator.
However, Nyeri Town Member of Parliament, Ngunjiri Wambugu alluded the financial constraints as matters that the MP should have raised with the party instead of turning to the press.
This has led to a section of MPs calling on the party to remove Kositany.
To put matters into perspective, Mr Kositany stands as the only DP Ruto ally who still holds a high position in the Jubilee Circle.
This is after the ousting of Jubilee Majority leader Hon. Aden Duale.
