President Uhuru Kenyatta's unprecedented moves on Wednesday to cancel Kimwarer dam project and moments later to endorse McDonald Mariga for Kibra parliamentary seat are closely related, city lawyer Wahome Thuku has observed.
Thuku said Uhuru was not keen to back Mariga, who is vying on Jubilee Party ticket, but he did so to appease Deputy President William Ruto after he canceled the Sh22.2 billion project in Elgeyo Marakwet, the DP's backyard.
The corruption-ridden multi-billion project, which Ruto has fiercely defended, was suspended on grounds it was not economically viable.
According to Thuku, Uhuru's move caused uproar in the DP's Rift Valley political stronghold, but the excitement which followed Mariga's endorsement drowned all the noise.
The lawyer likened the President to a father who does a little favour to his kid to keep them away when engaged in serious business.
"When I am having a serious meeting or engagement with some people and my 2-yr-old boy comes nagging me for a pen or keys or anything harmless, I usually give him just to deflect his attention."
"That is what President Uhuru did when he was receiving the Kimwarer/Arror report, a very serious event then someone came nagging him for some little endorsement," Thuku posted on Saturday.
Ruto is yet to speak on the annulment of Kimwarer dam project, but was among the first politicians to laud Uhuru for backing Mariga.
"Now that Mariga Jubilee's kibra candidate was cleared by IEBC and formally unveiled today by our party leader, it is all systems go.
"The ball is squarely in the court of all of us leaders serving under Pres. Uhuru, party members and supporters to deliver the seat," the DP tweeted on Wednesday.