Ruto should unite both divides 

Thank God it is already over now and Kenyans can pick up their lives where they left off.

They ought to do so with their heads held high because they elected their leaders without turning against each other in one of the most peaceful elections ever held in this country since the onset of multi-party politics.

More than half of the 14 million Kenyans who voted in these elections are over the moon with excitement while an almost equal number have to swallow the bitter pill of disappointment from which it will take time to recover.

However, triumph and loss are integral parts of political contestation and life has to go on.

What matters is the quality we shall assign to this life, individually and collectively, and how the new government will help or hinder the effort in this regard.

The incontestable fact is that the successes or failures of the new government will depend on the character and efforts of the men and women appointed to run it and, of course, whether they are able to translate all the beautiful promises and pledges made during the campaigns into reality.

However, before we even come to that, a few facts need to be pointed out.

The first is that when Dr William Ruto is sworn in on Tuesday, he will become president of the whole country and not just those who voted him into office.

Unite the country

As such, his first duty will be to unite the country by reassuring both the losers and winners that their lives and livelihoods will be protected by the government.

This reassurance will come about through the way the new president treats his vanquished political opponents, especially Mr Raila Odinga, for even he must admit that Mr Odinga has been a worthy adversary and a man who should never be subjected to too many indignities.

At 77 years of age, Mr Odinga is not likely to be a political threat to the incumbent or any future president.

In fact, chances are, by the time he hits 82, even he must recognise that he no longer has the same kind of energy that has been propelling him towards an elusive State House for the past 25 years.

This self-evident truth may not sit well with his most ardent of supporters, but even they too believe that it is time Baba called it a day in active politics and let some other star from Western Kenya rise.

In the past, Mr Odinga’s political obituary has been written often, but like the legendary phoenix, he has always risen from the ashes of defeat.

As such, to expect him to keep his peace on matters political would be a tall order.

However, he should do just that, and instead, gradually groom any of his trusted lieutenants who believe in his ideals to take over the mantle.

That way, he will keep intact his legacy of an indefatigable fighter for democracy.

While campaigning, President-elect Ruto told us that God and the people will determine the future leadership of this country.

Well, the people spoke loudly, and now it is the turn of God to speak to his heart and show him the benefits of magnanimity in triumph.

Many African leaders, when they get into power, go beyond negating those policies of their predecessors they didn’t like, and instead start persecuting them for their past deeds and misdeeds, perceived or real.

This never ends up well because it results in some leaders never giving up power willingly when their time is up, which is why Africans have witnessed the unedifying spectacle of formerly revered leaders being hounded out of office for overstaying their mandate.

As for us the people, we have no choice but to give the incoming government breathing space.

The majority made their choice but if they expect the government to immediately sort out their problems of daily existence, they will be sorely disappointed because it never works that way.

Patience

No government can fulfil all its lavish pledges overnight, and certainly not in our economic circumstances.

There is a great need for patience, especially since some of the pledges made during campaigns cannot come to fruition this side of the 21st century.

Another thing the new president must watch out for is the temptation to carry out any form of reprisals against individual journalists and media houses who may have publicised unflattering stuff about his quest for the presidency. 

In a high-octane election like the last, it is not possible for the media to remain absolutely neutral nor is it advisable, for as the poet warned, a hideous uniformity of mind has never been in the best interest of any country.

My advice to those individuals who were fiercely against Dr Ruto’s candidacy: Get over it already.

You fought the good fight but in the end, you lost, which is not the end of life.

There will be no need for any lingering bitterness, and in any case, as a friend told me, Dr Ruto may turn out to be the best president Kenya ever had. Amen to that.

Mr Ngwiri is a consultant editor; [email protected]