President Uhuru Kenyatta's second and last term will come to an end after the 2022 general election going by the 2010 constitution in its current form.
However, what has been in many Kenyans minds especially from his Central Kenya backyard is what kind of legacy will Kenyatta leave behind?
In Mt Kenya, his father Jomo Kenyatta left a legacy of land after he led the country to independence which culminated to residents in the region getting back their land which had been taken by the British imperialists.
His predecessor, Mwai Kibaki, left residents with a thriving economy supported by infrastructural development which (economy) when Kibaki came in was near collapse after the over two decades of Nyayo's tyrannical rule.
In short, both Kenyatta and Kibaki, sons of the soil, left behind good and cherished legacies in this region.
Coming to Uhuru, what kind of legacy is he likely to leave behind in Central Kenya? Well, truth be told, his legacy will be flawed if the current status quo prevails. Here is why.
1. His recent demeaning attitude towards the region's elected leadership
Last week during the burial of a prominent Murang'a businessman Uhuru was quoted as saying: "Tamerei tamerei nie ndamerire ndikwenda giko kiao. Moriei nuu haha uturi na mbeca ciagwaka mathukuru...nimake mathukuru mau! (You tell them! Tell them I don't need their filth, ask who among them present here doesn't have funds to build schools…let them build those schools!)."
This was after the area MP Ndindi Nyoro, asked him to order the renovation of a dilapidated local school in the county. While the MP could have been mistaken in asking the President to intervene in such a project, many continue to wonder whether he could have reacted the same way if the request was made by an opposition MP.
This is something if unless corrected, will taint Uhuru's legacy badly as some may simply argue that his disrespect of the people's elected representative in the area means he doesn't care about everyone else in the region.
2. The perception that he has sidelined the region in terms of development
The debate was ignited by his own rural home MP Moses Kuria at the beginning of this year. His 'washenzi' response to this particular matter made the matter worse. It is yet to sink in the minds of many electorates in the region why they re-elected him twice in 2017.
3. His apparent unwillingness to groom his successor in the region
Critics argue that by Uhuru not seeming to take this matter seriously, he risks leaving the Central Kenya people indecisive and divided politically.
Some even argue that if Uhuru leaves things as they are now, history will judge him harshly as he will be referred to as the shepherd who left the flock scattered in the wilderness for the hyenas to feed on.
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