Rivalry not a matter of life and death

Love him or hate him, you have to give it to President William Ruto on the art of communications. The man was in his element during the televised live interview on Sunday, fielding questions with practised ease from a cast of interlocutors drawn from Kenya’s main television stations.

He was obviously well prepared for the second such interview since taking office, proving himself a master of facts and figures and ready and willing to field questions on some of the most vexing issues of his young presidency.

The President responded to questions around the state of the economy, high taxation, the cost of living, wastefulness in government, the Shakahola massacre, partisan or ethnic appointments to public office and the controversial housing scheme.

Even if some of his answers were not quite convincing, he at least came out as a president with all the facts at his fingertips and one prepared to push unpopular prescriptions in the firm belief that they will pay off in the long run rather than simply bowing to pressure and adopting ruinous populist policies.

The live broadcast from State House capped a rather interesting weekend, in which President Ruto and opposition chief Raila Odinga shared platforms for the first time since the August 2022 elections. They exchanged barbs but the allies-turned-bitter foes also engaged in pleasantries that at least demonstrated maturity and civility in the midst of all the political noise.

The duo met for the first time on Saturday at the funeral of Mukami Kimathi, widow of Independence war hero Dedan Kimathi. In time-honoured fashion, they did what Kenyan politicians do best—converting a solemn occasion into a ring for political fisticuffs.

But it was considered significant that Mr Odinga, who came in late when the programme was well under way, did greet President Ruto’s hand on arrival. The President was gracious enough to not just accept the handshake but stand up while doing so.

After the funeral in Nyandarua County, both travelled back to Nairobi, where they again shared the podium—at the Kip Keino Classic World Athletics Continental Tour event at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani. There were no speeches but the two rivals, seated close to each other, were captured on TV engaging in some friendly chat and sharing in the celebrations as Ferdinand Omanyala and other stars lit up the track.

Hearty chats all round

The situation was repeated on Sunday, when Dr Ruto and Mr Odinga met at another sporting event, the ‘Mashemeji Derby’ Kenyan Premier League football match between arch-rivals Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards. Again, there were hearty chats all round.

While that might seem like the civilised thing to do when political rivals meet, in the Kenyan context it is significant that a bitter rival can be admitted in the presence of the President. It might be a great lesson for the camp followers on either side, who take the rivalry as a do-or-die affair, to see that their respective principals can actually share a podium, shake hands and generally be on best behaviour.

That should be something to note for the parliamentary delegations from President Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza Alliance and Mr Odinga’s Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Coalition Party that are about to negotiate a way out of likely political unrest.

It should be an even more important learning point for the various foot soldiers who go into stone-throwing orgies or those in government who retaliate with land invasions and cattle rustling.

Just the mere fact of President Ruto and Mr Odinga shaking hands and engaging in friendly banter does not necessarily mean a political deal is about to be struck. But it is a live demonstration that political rivalry need not descend into angry exchanges, insults or violence. That in itself should give us hope that no gulf is too wide to bridge.

And, lastly, back to the Nyandarua funeral, President Ruto pledged to facilitate a renewed search for Kimathi’s remains so that the Mau Mau ‘Field Marshall’, who was hanged by the British colonialists, can be accorded a belated decent burial.

I just hope he recalls the circus witnessed in the early days of President Mwai Kibaki’s leadership, when another group of grizzled freedom war veterans claimed they could locate where he was buried only to lead grave diggers round in circles.

If Kenya Prisons Service genuinely has no clue where Kimathi was buried, perhaps President Ruto could ask outgoing British High Commissioner Jane Marriot for help. The colonial civil service kept excellent records. If they spirited away their ‘British Gulag’ atrocity files on exiting Kenya, they must still be available somewhere in London. Over to you, Ma’am.

[email protected]. @MachariaGaitho