BY SHADRACK NYAKOE
President Uhuru Kenyatta and his political partner Raila Odinga have suffered a major blow.
This is after Deputy President William Ruto’s candidate won the Kiambaa Parliamentary seat.
The seat fell vacant after the death of MP Paul Koinange.
Ruto’s UDA party fielded Njuguna Wanjiku as President Uhuru’s Jubilee fielded Kariri Njama.
According to the tallying, UDA’s Njuguna led with 21,773 votes while Njama followed with 21,263 votes.
UDA’s win means Uhuru has lost in his backyard of Kiambu to his new perceived rival William Ruto.
This may signal that Uhuru is beginning his last year in State House as a “lame duck” president.
The win has psyched up UDA, s supporters and signals that if all factors remain constant, Central Kenya will be politically divided into two.
It also proves that Ruto has made inroads in Central Kenya- which is always the most difficult part of Kenya to penetrate
However, there is more to it than meets the eyes.
Kenya’s pre-independence leaders spoke in one voice, their tribe was Kenya.
They united and fought for independence.
However, after Independence, Kenyans realized that the Country is made of 42 tribes.
History tells me that at one point during the struggle, the white men preferred Oginga Odinga over Mzee Jomo Kenyatta.
Oginga was even offered the opportunity to lead this Nation but he refused.
He said “NO KENYATTA NO UHURU”
This tells us how patriotic he and other leaders of that time were.
The rest is history, now after Kenyatta assumed office, betrayal started.
Kenyatta perceived Jaramogi as a competitor.
Jaramogi and Tom Mboya had earlier participated in making the Kenyan constitution and other laws.
Jaramogi ate his humble pie because immediately Kenyatta took office, he changed and became a “god”.
Jaramogi could not stomach frustrations from a government he helped make and a person he helped become president.
He therefore found it good to resign and later said “Its s not yet Uhuru”.
On the other hand, Tom Mboya supported the system that latter got rid of him.
Mboya was shot dead in July 1969.
For Raila Odinga, he is a victim of a winner takes it all scenario.
Many of you will remember that in 2002, he joined President Moi where KANU was merged with NDP.
There was a lot of excitement in Luo Nyanza, Raila was promised a cabinet position and being Secretary General of the most Powerful party then (KANU), he accepted and folded NDP.
Things were good until Moi, the professor of Politics brought President Uhuru Kenyatta on board.
Moi used Raila to make changes in parliament because he knew very well that he (Raila) disturbed him during the 1997 IPPG which was agitating for constitutional change,
Moi did not want to lose power through constitutional amendments, so he had to lure Raila to his side.
Come the year 2002, another conspiracy happened.
After Raila realized that he could not win alone against Moi’ s project, he presented Kibaki to Kenyans through Kibaki Tosha statement at Uhuru park.
This happened after an MoU was crafted between the two leaders that Raila was to be a Powerful Prime Minister.
I think many got excited and all Raila supporters voted man to Man for Kibaki with hope that Baba would be a Prime Minister.
This did not happen, infact after the election, Kibaki just like the Mzee Jomo Kenyatta changed his mind and went ahead and kicked out Raila and his team from Government.
This animosity then gave birth to the 2007 post-election violence and the NUSU Mkate government.
History has always repeated itself.
Raila has repeatedly said that President Uhuru Kenyatta looked for him so that they can talk about Kenya’s Unity.
This came less than five months after the repeat elections.
Uhuru’s handlers advised him to bring Raila on board, use him to achieve constitutional changes and latter do away with him.
The handlers are working round the clock to ensure Uhuru becomes the President or powerful Prime minister beyond 2022.
They also want to ensure dissenting voices are suppressed and there will be no fall-back plan for Raila Odinga once he is short changed.
I have a feeling that Uhuru is silently working with his deputy William Ruto and secretly supporting him.
So far, Ruto’s UDA is gaining popularity.
In the recent bye elections in Matungu, Kabuchai and now Kiambaa , Rutos candidates have performed well.
The Rift Valley is solely behind Ruto.
He has managed to divide Central Kenya, Western, and will get at least a quarter of the votes in each region including Luo Nyanza.
Currently, each community in Kenya wants a share of the Presidentcy and Luos are no exceptions.
At least a quarter of them will vote for Ruto.
If BBI is implemented, Uhuru wants Raila’s support, once he is elected, he will latter kick out Raila who will be a Prime Minister from his government.
Many people are forgetting that Ruto is safe because the 2010 constitution has protected him and his office.
Raila is being played and should realize this.