Ruto preaches wine and drinks water on ethnic politics

President William Ruto’s has repeatedly blamed his former deputy Rigathi Gachagua of spreading ethnic politics but his desperate move to mobilise votes from his community could polarize the country further given the position he holds.

 It may result in ethnic balkanization, a strategy he has always fought against, and which was the main reason why he mobilized MPs in the National Assembly and Senate to impeach Gachagua last year.

Yesterday, while addressing the Labour Day celebrations meeting in Vihiga, Ruto again preached against ethnic politics which he said had created disharmony in the country for a long time.

 “Siasa ya ukabila imetusumbua kwa muda mrefu. Siasa ya mirengo na chuki na kututenganisha hatutakubali. Tutatengeneza serikali ya kuleta watu wote pamoja (In 2027 we will remove politics based on tribal alliances, factions and hatred in a government that will bring all Kenyans together,” said Ruto.

 But speaking in his Kalenjin mother tongue in Bomet on Thursday, Ruto preached a completely different gospel telling members of the community to help him win the 2027 elections instead of begging for votes from other communities.

 “Why should I go looking for votes from other houses when we have ours. I’m even getting humiliated by other people while asking for votes. You say you love me but how can you justify without giving me all your votes?” asked Ruto.

 Ruto visibly upset stated that 2.3 million voters from the Kalenjin community do not vote while additional 500000 individuals who have attained the mandatory age of 18 years had not applied for identity cards, rendering them ineligible to vote.

 “We have 1.3 million Kalenjins who have identity cards but have not registered as voters, yet I am struggling to beg for votes from other communities, while we have our own voters who are simply idling around. Please, please help me, if you truly love me as you say,” said Ruto.

 The President called out his community for allegedly neglecting him and allowing him to struggle while seeking support from other communities.

  “I go round begging, kneeling, asking for support because I have to consolidate numbers due to people who have failed me, some of whom are in this meeting today,” he said.

 Pundits have hit out at Ruto for turning to his community and reducing his position to the communities, saying the approach risks deepening divisions, weakening institutions, and reducing leadership to a contest of numbers rather than ideas.

 “If left unchecked, it threatens to erode the gains made toward cohesion and inclusive governance, steering the nation toward fragmentation instead of progress,” Dr Kamau Wairuri, a policy researcher and political analyst noted.

 This week alone, Luhya leaders led by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and Cooperatives and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Cs Wycliffe Oparanya led the Western leaders to strategize how the Mulembe nation would join hands to demand for a community’s share before they support Ruto’s re-election.

 The leaders who led over 30 MPs, in a breakfast meeting on Wednesday, discussed strategies that would see their community galvanize behind Ruto’s two-term political faction and demand the Deputy Presidency post and how they could retain the position of the Speaker, which is being occupied by Wetangula.

 The leaders who bypassed their political parties which include ODM, UDA and Ford Kenya to oscillate around their tribe to demand for a national cake decided to go for a retreat to establish a caucus that would determine whether they would form a regional party to agitate for shares and to counter Linda Mwananchi group that is gaining momentum in the Western region.

 The Luhya leaders, another source said, were apprehensive that ODM was loud on its demands with President Ruto and had gone ahead to demand the Deputy President and Speaker posts, a move that threatens both Wetangula and Mudavadi’s relevance in Ruto’s political arithmetic.

  In April 21, another group of Luhya leaders led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi and Trans Zoia governor George Natembeya who is also the Deputy Party leader for Democracy Action Party (DAP-K) held a high-profile breakfast meeting to organize themselves on the future of the Western region politics.

 According to Osotsi, the meeting revolved around unity, accountability, and the future direction of leadership amid shifting political alliances.

  Osotsi said the leaders reflected on the current political landscape and emphasized the need for people-centered leadership focused on transformative ideas that can uplift communities.

 “Our conversation reaffirmed our shared commitment to unity, accountability and the pursuit of transformative ideas that will uplift our communities. I remain encouraged by the strength of such partnerships as we continue working together for the greater good of our nation,” Osotsi said

 According to Osotsi, the discussions centered on strengthening collaboration among leaders while maintaining a strong focus on accountability in governance.

 While Sifuna, Osotsi and Natembeya met to discuss about Mulembe nation, Coast leaders who support broad-based government ditched their political party affiliation to meet on how they may use their numbers to get the Deputy Presidency post and still retain the position of the Speaker of the Senate which is retained by Amason Kingi.

  The meeting brought together Kingi, Mining CS Hassan Joho, Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir, UDA Secretary General Hassan Omar, Sports CS Salim Mvurya and Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung'aro in what can be described as a significant convergence of influential leaders from the Coast.

 The leaders who have been holding divergent views on zoning and who should get the DP post reportedly decided to put their differences aside and consolidate their region behind Ruto’s administration with the hope of getting high profile positions.

  The United Alternative Government, led by Kalonzo Musyoka and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has also adopted a regional locking strategy to fight Ruto’s influence in their regions.

 Gachagua has been actively encouraging opposition leaders to solidify their regional bases to oppose the Kenya Kwanza administration ahead of the 2027 general election.

 According to Gachagua Kalonzo should focus on cementing his influence in Ukambani region while Matiangi should popularize the Jubilee party in Gusii region while the former Defense Minister Eugene Wamalwa should prioritize joining hands with Natembeya to spread the one-term gospel in The Western region.

 “The opposition leaders should first popularize themselves in their regions so that when we come to the bargaining table, we may ask ourselves how many votes each of us is bringing on the table,” he said in a past rally.

 While some analysts warn that the trend which is characterized by the resurgence of tribal kingpins demanding regional loyalty and the framing of national politics as a competition between ethnic strongholds, undermines the constitutional vision of a united republic others maintain the country’s politics is anchored on tyranny of numbers which informs tribal arithmetic.

 Ibrahim Burugu, a political commentator, said the country is calculated in a tribal calculator that Presidential aspirants must consider before seeking the top office.

 “Even political parties in Kenya have their footing in certain tribes and the party leaders are faces of such tribes. The Wiper party is a Kambas party.ODM is dominated by Luo. Dcp is largely a Mt Kenya region party,” Burugu added.