Like him or hate him, Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria is not your every day typical politician.
Kuria despite his controversial brand of politics, is insanely popular among many Central Kenya residents who have even come to brand him 'Njamba ya Ruriri' (Hero of the Tribe).
On the New Year Eve, the MP did the unthinkable, at least going by the standards of his counterparts from Central region.
He openly castigated President Uhuru Kenyatta in a charged public gathering where he accused him of sidelining Central Kenya on matters development despite the area residents giving him undivided support in the past two general elections.
That impromptu statement made in Kikuyu and Swahili at Thika Stadium would later become the subject of a fiery debate in the coming days while engulfing everything else that was happening in Kenya's political circles.
Even President Kenyatta found himself being dragged into the debate despite ignoring it initially.
But wait, we say it was an impromptu statement? Well, from the outside it looks and sounds as such. But if you keenly read in between the lines, it looks like it is something that Kuria had planned for a while and was just waiting for the opportune moment to break the ice.
Here are three political gimmicks that Kuria employed:
1. Supporting an idea contrary to what he is known for
Kuria is known to be President Uhuru's die hard supporter and defender who has even found himself behind bars over the same.
So, how does it then happen that Kuria turns around and castigates the man a few days ago he could take a bullet for? This looks like it was Kuria's plan to raise his political profile.
Robert Greene in his book '48 Laws of Power' notes that this political gimmick brings you unrivaled power as 'most people will believe you have experienced a change of heart as it is unusual for one to play so lightly with something as emotional as one's opinions and values'.
2. Controversy
Kuria was pretty aware that castigating President Uhuru and seeming to incite the residents in his backyard against him was like touching a live wire. Or you think the MP was ignorant of the repercussions his statement would have?
Robert Greene advises that when you want to court attention, make no distinctions because even bad publicity will shine your star brightly than those around you. He, therefore, notes that 'it is better to be slandered and attacked than being ignored.
3. Surrender
Kuria apparently satisfied that he had achieved his first resolution for 2019, came out on Thursday to 'put the debate to an end' . Before then, there were speculations that he was calling for a press conference to resign.
Whether he changed his mind along the way or not, this only worked to his own advantage. Or wasn't everyone waiting for him like he was the head of state coming to read his resignation speech?
But as we know Kuria did the opposite. He offered 'unreserved apology' to President Uhuru and objectively challenged those who were attacking him somehow leaving them with egg on their faces.
Greene notes, 'surrender is a way of mocking your enemies and turning their power against them'.