Attacks on Interior CS Dr Fred Matiang’i by DP William Ruto allied legislators seems to be reading from a consistent script – passing the narrative of the DP not being included in government decisions or is being targeted.
The recent one was made by Nandi Senator Cherargei, who was responding to Dr Matiangi’s remarks that he, together with his PS, Karanja Kibicho, are only responsible to President Uhuru Kenyatta.
During the launch of the BBI report, it was widely expected that DP Ruto would oppose it, which would have given a new direction he would have taken, with his foot soldiers leading the attacks on those opposed to the DP’s his State House ambitions.
Now that DP Ruto has seemingly toed the line, his allies need to find a new punch bag to stay relevant. Unfortunately, the punch bag is Dr Matiang’I, the interior CS.
It all started when the Interior CS failed to go to West Pokot to help and console landslide victims. Many pundits claimed that it was not bad weather, as it was reported, but rather avoiding the DP.
Well, Dr Matian’i is known for his hands-on and brash leadership style, a thing that many people find uncomfortable. His performance in the Ministry of Education did put him in the limelight, so much that he is being mooted as a potential presidential candidate.
This may be the reason why DP Ruto’s camp is scared of Dr Matiang’i, escalated by his allegiance to the president who has shown indifference to the DP’s presidential ambitions.
Should Ruto’s camp be worried about Dr Matiang’i’s rising political star? The answer is an absolute no. Kenya is not ready for a reformer. Kenyan politics largely revolves around kingpin politics, and Dr Matiang'i’s leadership style, similar to Tanzania's President John Magufuli, will step on too many toes for state apologists liking.
As such, DP Ruto’s allies should lay low and strategise rather than antagonize and create many enemies way before the actual battle begins.
Ruto should reign on his foot soldiers and ask them to lie low as they strategise silently, and probably take the enemies by surprise.