‘Ruto Kalenjin New Billionares’ Story Was Borne Out Of Malice And Propaganda
Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen
By: Joseph Mutua Ndonga
Worth Noting:
- To me, Ruto’s critics were behind this story. They had cooked it to achieve two things. First, create a false narrative that President William Ruto was not committed to the war against corruption. Secondly, to try to put Dr Ruto in a collision course with other Kenyan tribes.
- It is worth noting that Dr Ruto was not re-inventing the wheel. The previous Kenyan heads of state and government had also appointed close allies from thei respective community to serve in strategic top-notch public dockets.
- This is not the first time we have heard the names of such leaders being dropped and linked to imaginative corruption scandals.
The other day a Weekly Newspaper published a headline story titled ‘Ruto Kalenjin New Billionares’.
The story made sensational claims that President Ruto was minting Kalenjin billionares.
His eyes are trained on 2027 polls and this was part of preparations for his re-election.
The story further alleged that he has allowed the Kalenjin leaders to amass wealth by using whichever means. Each will part with billions to bankroll his campaigns.
The work ethics and laws regulating the field of journalism does not allow members of fourth estate to originate or be the sources of the stories.
Therefore I want to believe that the authors of the story had relied on the views they had gathered from the political leaders and other opinion shapers.
In my views, the sources were not based on facts and were totally skewed and biased.
So, the decision to publish the photos of Dr Ruto’s top aides and other Kalenjin leaders, who were close to him, was in bad faith and borne out of malice and envy.
To me, Ruto’s critics were behind this story. They had cooked it to achieve two things. First, create a false narrative that President William Ruto was not committed to the war against corruption. Secondly, to try to put Dr Ruto in a collision course with other Kenyan tribes.
It is worth noting that Dr Ruto was not re-inventing the wheel. The previous Kenyan heads of state and government had also appointed close allies from thei respective community to serve in strategic top-notch public dockets.
This is not the first time we have heard the names of such leaders being dropped and linked to imaginative corruption scandals.
The allegations were all along being peddled by leaders of the opposition outfit. This time, the top leaders of ODM and Azimio coalition are at work.
Many Kenyans believe this is because they lost the elections of 2022, period. They were yet to come to terms that Dr Ruto had defeated them.
For Raila Odinga, the loss was so devastating and painful. He never thought he can lose at a time when the outgoing President, Deep State and System was on his side.
Dr Ruto was however clever. He had coined the narratives of the hustlers versus Dynasties and bottom-up economic model. This enabled him to rally majority of Kenyans behind him. That is how he beat Baba with ease.
Back the story, the Kalenjin leaders and professionals whose photos had been published were in charge of various dockets. The story did not provide an iota of evidence linking anyone of them to corruption.
It is worth noting that timing of the story coincided with President Ruto’s making new strides in the war against corruption.
The President was not only talking tough but more importantly escalating the matter by calling on the anti-graft bodies to immediately commence the probes and ensure the culprits are brought to justice.
The President’s interventions have been resonating very well with the masses.
This is because this was a departure from Uhuru Kenyatta’s presidency.
Uhuru was known for talking tough but without taking any tangible action.
There was a time he said that Sh2 billion was being stolen every day in Kenya but this matter ended there.
He had earlier shocked Kenyans when he hosted the heads of anti-graft bodies at State House Nairobi.
Though one would have expected him to take on them for frustrating his administration’s efforts to fight mega corruption scandals, he instead appeared helpless as he threw his hands in air. Uhuru posed: What do you want me to do? Kenyans interpreted this to mean they were on their own.
Since he assumed office, President Ruto has made great strides. When a plot to steal Sh3.7 billion from the Global Fund meant to buy and supply mosquito nets to the downtrodden Kenyans was brought to his attention, he immediately nipped the plot in the bud.
He fired the senior officials at the Ministry of Health and Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA) who had been adversely mentioned.
He also called for the prosecution of the culprits.
The President have also been cracking the whip to streamline other sectors, the latest ones being Athi Water Works Development Agency, Rift Valley Water Works and Kenya Forest Service (KFS).
At Water Works, the heads of the two agencies are among top officials being investigated.
At KFS, he endorsed the decision of the board to send 29 managers and forest rangers packing. Those culpable should face the law.
The Azimio coalition is yet to prove their claims despite receiving a strong back-up from a section of the mainstream houses championing thei course.
In yester years, Azimio leader Raila Odinga had curved a niche of being a whistleblower. He had indeed become a household during the reign of President Mwai Kibaki and his successor Uhuru Kenyatta.
He had unearthed and exposed a number of mega corruption scandals.
But one thing remained clear. He would play this role when he was fighting and pushing these governments to succumb to his demands.
Once he had fought his way and occupied his seat at the high table where the national cake was being shared, he always become contented. He would no longer blow the whistle.
We know today he is harboring a major grudge with the current government of President Ruto.
As such, one would have expected him to be in forefront of exposing the so called corruption scandals if they ever existed.
He would not dare to do this. Reason? He knew he would end up being embarrassed and ashamed because of peddling outright lies.
But many Kenyans believed those cooking these stories fully enjoyed his blessing.
Reason? This card was helping him to further his political course. By painting Dr Ruto in bad light, he hoped this would make him soften his stance and invite him for talks.
It has dawned on him that Dr Ruto is a hard nut to crack. He cannot succumb to these tricks designed to blackmail and intimidate him.
For now, Raila’s remarks and body language points to this. He wants to make peace with the President. Has realized this when it is too late?
He is desperately looking for an opportunity to sit down with President Ruto.
Sometimes he had revealed that the President of Tanzania Samia Suluhu was in Nairobi and she spent two nights. He fell short of saying he is the one who had invited her.
He said the purpose of her visit was initiate talks between him and president Ruto.
But this did not come to pass. She left before meeting the president.
Here, Raila’s seemed to blow hot and cold. On one hand he cast a picture that the President is now ready for dialogue , but on other hand one would ask. Why did Suluhu left before meeting Dr Ruto if that was the case?
Many believe the other political card that Raila was out to play is this.
Dr Ruto was ready for dialogue. However, the top guns of ruling Kenya Kwanza government were vehemently opposed to talks.
This is because they feared losing their jobs if Raila joined the government.
It is worth noting Ruto has since provided leadership on this matter. The National Dialogue Committee chaired by Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Majority leader Kimani Ichungwah has submitted the final report. This is seen as a win-win for all Kenyans.
It is worth noting. Raila lost the election to Dr Ruto. After being declared the winner by the IEBC chairman, Raila filed a petition at the Supreme Court of Kenya to challenge his victory. He lost the case and the court upheld the Dr Ruto’s victory.
Also, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka confirmed this when he spoke in Machakos during the Saba Saba demonstrations. He stated. Our eader Raila Odinga lost but Ruto won with a slight margin of 60,000 votes. This explains why the country is divided in the middle. We therefore call upon Ruto to respond to our calls for dialogue.
With this, President Ruto does not owe Raila any debt.
Joseph Mutua Ndonga is a writer and political analyst based in Nairobi
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