With PhD and political acumen, critics warn of Ruto's know-it-all attitude

Kenya is indeed lucky with President William Ruto at the helm. When 7.2 million Kenyans voted for him, they unwittingly voted in all the four previous Heads of State since 1963. Jomo Kenyatta's charisma and courage, Daniel Moi's enduring patience, Mwai Kibaki's intellect and Uhuru Kenyatta's ambitions now resides in State House in the embodiment of the current occupant, Ruto.

Luckier still, President Ruto is the first PhD holder to be Kenya's president. He is relatively young, energetic and focused. With these attributes, he believes in the last three years, he has performed miracles. Ruto believes by the end of his first term, Kenya will be unrecognisable and perhaps matching towards the status of one of the Asian Tigers, Singapore.

Last month, the President described himself as the best ever, saying he was not elected, Kenya would have faced its worst.

His style of leadership is that things must be seen through his lenses. He sometimes wears designer Cartier Gold sun glasses, (Sh167,000 eyepiece) to properly illuminate his vision of where he wants Kenya to be. His worldview prevails during meetings and his constant re-organisation of his Cabinet amounting to three times since he ascended to office, tells the story of a hands on perfectionist.

President Ruto has been reminding his critics that those opposed to his leadership style are stupid as he touts himself as a combination of the good qualities of the last four Presidents.

Last month, Ruto reminded a delegation from Tharaka Nithi County that the only reason he was doing the most difficult job was because there has never been an opportunity for a person with experience, education and knowledge he had to lead the nation.

“I have been an MP for 15 years, I have been the Deputy President for 10 years, isn’t that experience satisfying? I’m not as old. I’m a young man who understands how to do things. I have acquired enough education, there has never been a President who was PHD holder. I was born in a rural village so I understand Kenya’s problem. The difficult work I’m doing is because there has never been an opportunity for a person with experience I have with the education and knowledge,” he said.

He continued, “I have combined all the all my predecessors. You know, I have the courage of Jomo. I have the understanding of Moi. I have the education of Kibaki and I have the plan we shared with Uhuru Kenyatta.”

While some of his admirers describe him as a hands on leader with a clear vision and legacy for his leadership, political analysts describe him as all knowing, with a knack for micromanaging ministries and government agencies.

In the process, he has instilled fear among civil servants, at times reduced into spectators scurrying behind their boss as they implement his policies.

Two years ago, Ruto reprimanded Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries reminding them that he was more informed of what was happening in their departments.

“I speak to many of you on phone. Many times, I call you to my office, and we interact. In different places, I ask you questions – you know that – on programmes, on projects. And, I find, that many of you – the people I speak to – don’t even know what is going on in your ministries or departments. You have very scant information. The moment I know more than you in your ministry, then, you must begin to understand that something is very wrong. Because, by Constitution, you are supposed to advise me," he told them.

The Head of State has also been forced to use unpresidential language to members of the Opposition who criticise his policies describing them as ‘mad’ or ‘foolish’ people while equating Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka as ndengu man (a crop largely grown in Ukambani) when he opposed mass vaccination of livestock.

Sasa kuna watu wengine wajinga wanatuambia tusichanje ng’ombe yetu tusipate soko la kitaifa. Si hiyo ni ukumbafu? Si tumekuwa tukichanja mifugo yetu tangu zamani? Wewe unaenda kumsikiza mtu ya kupanda ndengu. ati anakuambia usichanje ng’ombe yako. yeye hana ng’ombe…hiyo ni mambo ya upumbavu na wakwende kabisa,” (There are some stupid people telling us not to vaccinate our livestock so that we don't get international markets. Isn't that stupidity? we have been vaccinating our livestock ever since. How can you listen to a person who only knows how to plant green grams?" said Ruto.

The President also directed his ire at those he claimed lack academic credentials to correct him. “Na mkiona wale wanalalamika ni watu sijui wamesomea wapi. Si mimi niko na PhD…si mimi naelewa nini inaendelea Kenya? Sasa mimi napata watu wako na elimu kidogo kidogo hapa wanajaribu kunifundisha, mnanifundisha kazi gani?” (When you see those complaining about my leadership the are people who you cant even confirm where they went to school, I have a PhD, I understand this country but people with little education are trying to teach me how to do my job)," said in February this year.

In December last year, Ruto came under fire for using similar words to attack critics of the programme that had not yet been launched at the time. “Anybody opposing vaccination to eliminate foot and mouth disease (FMD) and PPR is simply mad, unreasonable and possibly stupid,” he said then.

Earlier, the President was faulted for claiming those opposed to  government projects were possessed by evil spirits. Political analyst Barrack Muluka opined that the President was operating in an environment where he thought he was the only intelligent person in the country.

“Ruto looks at the rest of us and he says, ‘If they are intelligent, why is it that they are not the President. I am the most intelligent person; I'll not listen to anybody. If I bring you around me to advise me, please wait for me to advise you on how you should advise me. Because of that, he has lost it in the sense that the people who sit around him have become sycophants who read his lips and tell him what he would like to hear, and it is known as a fact that Cabinet meetings are lecture sessions. Here is a situation where the country must accept that it is in the grip of a one-man rule assisted by a poodle, a lapdog that crossed over from the other side of the aisle and joined in,” said Dr Muluka.

He averred that the country was steadily sinking into dictatorship and political autocracy and called on the President to have a moment with his soul before the national dialogue would commence.

Political strategist Joshua Mwangi said the hands on character was good when the leader was spearheading the interests of Kenyans, but dangerous when serving one's interests.

“Ruto sets his own exam, marks the exam and rates himself against himself. He behaves as if he is his own boss forgetting that he serves the interests of the electorate who are his boss,” Mwangi noted.

He said although the President kept re-organising his Cabinet to please himself, the move would negatively impact on his scorecard as any new leader comes with his ideologies and style of implantation, a move he said would delay the roll out of the government’s agenda to the people.

“Hopefully, the upcoming by-elections will give him a clear picture of his rating among Kenyans and may help him adjust his actions to the expectations of the Kenyans people,” Mwangi said.

Former Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi claimed Ruto enjoys running everything and directly controlling operations in every ministry and State corporation.

“He comes to any meeting with a know-it-all attitude and turns the caucus into a monologue where he lectures and issues directives,” he said.

But Ruto’s allies maintain that he is a no-nonsense leader determined to implement his vision for Kenya. Former Muranga Governor Mwangi Wa Iria believes Ruto is a principled politician who believe in doing what is right.

“He is a leader who believes in doing what will benefit the people in future despite being unpopular for now and there is nothing wrong with being a hands on person,” said Wa Iria.