Intricacies of Kindiki taking over as new Deputy President

In replacing Gachagua with Kindiki, the president has neutered the backlash from the duo’s Mt Kenya/Central Kenya base. As reasoned by a commenter on one of the more popular blogger’s social media walls, “At least he (Kindiki) is from Mt. Kenya and not from the lakeside.” As tribal as this sounds, it is also standard fare in Kenya, especially its political discourse.

Corruption crusade

Unfortunately, I don’t expect President Ruto and his supporters in the legislature or judiciary to sustain their crusade against corrupt deals, influence-peddling, self-dealing, and incitement, some of the articles of impeachment that torpedoed Gachagua’s career. The fact is that these vices are President Ruto’s stock-in-trade.

Gladhanding and backslapping among the Luos followed their inclusion in the Kenya Kwanza Cabinet after Mr Ruto dissolved the first one. The celebration ramped up as KK publicly supported Raila Odinga’s candidacy for the AU Chairmanship. It became euphoric after Rigathi’s fall from grace. The ease with which the community switched loyalty illustrated the Palmerstonian truism: “No permanent enemies, just permanent interests.” It also belied their oft-touted idealism re: governance, incorruptibility, and principles. Finally, their reaction to Gachagua’s travails only adds to the historical mistrust between the two communities – Luo and Gikuyu.

This is not a good thing.

Finally, it bears pointing out that President Ruto has proven himself a master political tactician. The man won the 2022 General Election against a better-funded opponent with even better name recognition. He then navigated the Gen Z/Millennial-inspired “Summer of Discontent” with little damage to his presidency, crafted a rapprochement with Raila and his Luo base, and the piece de resistance, he jettisoned an unpopular deputy while simultaneously pacifying his base.

Quite a feat.

The writer is a biotech professional based in US