Hardly a year after August 2018 General Election was held, 2022 succession politics are already on high gear.
Kenya is one country in Sub-Sahara Africa known to engage in highly octane politics from one election to another leaving little space to discuss developmental issues.
Today, much of the TV, radio and newspaper airtime and space respectively has been taken over by the debate of so-called UhuRuto 2013 pre-election pact that bounds Central Kenya voters to render undivided support to DP William Ruto come 2022.
While there's nothing wrong with that arrangement, central Kenya voters are under pressure from other regions in the country to clear earlier 'political debts' before coming to Ruto's.
That is perfectly in order. Debts ought to be cleared in the order they came into being. Or isn't the oldest wine the sweetest?
In that spirit, here are four debts that Central Kenya ought to pay first before clearing that of Ruto.
Jaramogi-Kenyatta debt: The debt dates back to 1963. It is well documented how Jaramogi insisted that Kenyatta who had been detained in 1952 had to be released from prison before KANU which had won elections then could form the government.
Events that followed led to Kenyatta's rise to power.
Raila-Kibaki debt: This can be traced way back to 2002 when Raila simply said 'Kibaki Tosha' leading to Kibaki winning the election with a landslide. This ended KANU's 40 years reign.
Kalonzo-Kibaki debt: When Kibaki won the disputed 2007 election he had the minority in Parliament with the main opposition party ODM, pocketing the majority.
However, Kalonzo Musyoka who himself was a candidate in that election accepted to join hands with Kibaki to form the government before the Grand Coalition Government was born.
Ameru-Central Kenya debt: Though the Meru community has most of the time been grouped with central Kenya as one voting block, cracks have begun to emerge.
The community feels that central voters have been taking the former's support for granted.
The community is now demanding that central also supports one of their own for the top seat.
It is, therefore, clear that Ruto's political debt to Central isn't a priority now and in the foreseeable future.