DP William Ruto [Photo/businesstoday.co.ke]
With the declaration of Uhuru Kenyatta as the winner of the just concluded repeat poll, it is self-evident that William Ruto will be the president in 2022.
What remains to seal the deal in 2022 for the hustler from Rift Valley is the swearing in of Uhuru in the next few days.
I know right now you are wondering if it is too early to make such a prediction or if I am the famed witchdoctor mentioned in Uhuru’s victory speech at Bomas on October 30.
With respect to the latter, I am no such person.
I am a realist.
I only believe in what I see or deduce on a piece of paper like I am about to deduce Ruto’s future.
Back to Ruto...The way I see it, Ruto and Uhuru formed a pact in 2012 before the 2013 elections.
The two gentlemen had to stick together for they were being frog-marched to the ICC for alleged crimes against humanity during the 2007/8 post-election violence.
As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Ruto and Uhuru both disliked the ICC and as far as I know, they had not considered an alliance until then.
It is their pending prosecution that led them to form an alliance and inspire the communities of the Kalenjin and Kikuyu to solve their grievances in an amicable way.
Part of the agreement was for the two communities to vote as a block to guarantee an UhuRuto win in 2013 despite both individuals belonging to different political parties: TNA and URP respectively.
With their victory sealed in 2013, they could tackle the monster that was the ICC.
They succeeded.
They succeeded very well!
Ocampo had nothing on them!
Rather than the two parting ways ahead of the 2017 poll, they realized that they had momentum from the ICC win.
This led the duo into forming the Jubilee Party with a ‘star studded’ line up of candidates in the various seats as we headed to the polls on August 8.
I believe that the unwritten agreement during the formation of the Jubilee Party was that upon Uhuru’s reelection this year, the Kikuyu community would return the favour in 2022 for Ruto.
They would vote him in as the Kalenjin helped secure a win this year.
It would be the honorable thing to do for the Kikuyu.
I am sure Uhuru will campaign vigorously for Ruto’s candidacy.
From where I sit, the only viable hurdle for Ruto in 2022 would be himself and the alliances he will make during his selection of a running mate.
ODM and Nasa will be a non-factor in 2022.
I believe the elders of the Mt. Kenya region will allow the slot of Ruto’s running mate to maybe go to a leader from Machakos (Hint! Hint!)