By Anderson Ojwang
The recent political dynamic and realignments in Mt Kenya, have radically changed the region from a receptive and accommodative to a hostile and Volatile one.
The once revered ‘son; and leader of the region before the 2022 presidential election, is today a ‘pariah’ and the most disliked person in the Murima.
The heroic songs and attributes that were once identified with him are long gone and replaced by scorn, lamentations and dislike.
It could be summed up as moving from grace to grass and from a hero to a villain. That is the current situation, President William Ruto faces in Mt Kemya, his vote basket in the 2022 election.
President Ruto downed Mt Kenya’s greatest son former President Uhuru Kenyatta in his backyard, defeating his presidential candidate and leader of Azimio la Umoja Raila Odinga.
In the run-up 2022 election, President Ruto with his team led by his deputy Rigathi Gachagua, Prof Abraham Kindki, Ndindi Nyoro and Kimani Ichungwah combed and delivered the Murima votes against Uhuru and his team.
For instance, in Kirinyaga county, the home turf of Raila’s running mate Martha Karu, Ruto got 84 per cent of the votes accounting for 220,752 votes while Raila got a paltry 14 per cent accounting for 37,978 of the votes
In Kiambu county, the home ground of President Uhuru, Ruto managed 72.9 per cent of the votes amounting to 606,105 votes while Raila only managed 25 per cent accounting for 210,495
Again in Nyeri county, Raith’s village, Ruto received 82.79 percent of the votes amounting to 272,577 of the votes while Raila got 15.3 percent accounting for 52,043 votes.
Finally, in Muranga Ruto got 81 percent of the votes accounting for 343,421 while Raila got a paltry 17 percent accounting for 73,539 votes.
After the impeachment of deputy president, Rigathi, the former Mathira MP resorted to fencing off the Murima from the son of Sugoi by talking in codes and speaking his mother tongue in churches, funerals and social media platforms.
“ We are planning, within a short time to reclaim our pride and dignity as a people.
It is true what you are saying the mountain is angry. It is not just angry it is very angry. Why the mountain is very angry, because of betrayal?
We will plan as a community and within a short time we will reclaim back our pride and dignity as a people,’ he said.
I am not quitting politics, my political ambition is unstoppable and I ask my people who feel as if they have been left without a leader to be patient. I will soon show them the political route to follow;
Let my supporters prepare for the next elections with the events of 2024 in mind. Religious leaders, residents and professionals have been calling on me saying the region has been left without a spokesperson. They want me to declare my political stand. I want to tell them I am holding discussions with opinion leaders and I will give them a clear direction at the right time.
I will show you the way forward. I want our people not to fear at all. God is faithful and can’t be defeated,” he said.
Rigathi was replaced by Prof Kindiki as the deputy President who has embarked on reclaiming the dwindling fortunes in the Murima.
The recent Jubilee party national delegates conference in Nairobi, was the final nail, in President Ruto’s facing of Mt Kenya.
During the NDC, the party in the presence of its leader former President Uhuru, took a common position to support former Internal Security Cabinet Secretary, Dr Fred Matiangi as its flag bearer in the 2027 presidential contest.
Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni said the party had settled on Matiangi for the presidency.
“Matiangi is the flag bearer, He worked with President Uhuru for 10 years. As a jubilee party, we have our candidate in Matiangi. So we must now register in anticipation of the bigger battle.
We support him because he did good work in education, ICT and security dockets. When Uhuru was in his second term, his deputy started campaigning and deserted his work.
It is Matiangi who took over, he understands the vision and he has the energy to ignite our coalition. That is why we want Wamunyoro to come in.”
Uhuru declared that Azimio La Umoja’s quest for the country’s leadership was still valid and urged party members to register in numbers.
“Kenyans decided and made a decision in 2022 but we still want to see our agenda come to fruition.
Let today, be a renewal. Let’s go back to the villages and revive our jubilee party. We, who are in Nairobi, will help you in any form you need. Do not fear to say the truth. We are not cowards.
Those who are doing what they are doing think God is asleep. God does not sleep, one day. They will see for themselves.
Those who have no joy with jubilee stand, kindly do us the honour of leaving the party and allow us to follow our road to the destination.
You have said our party is dead. What interest do you have in a dead body? If it is dead, why are you interested in it? if you see them try to grab the party, just know, that it is not dead. We are very much alive and they will see.
I want to say, my thoughts, told me that I wanted to be out of politics so that I could engage in other businesses. I thought, that the next National Delegates conference for the party, would have to be a day.
I thought I would tell you people, my great people, I have done what was expected of me.
And that it is now time to elect new party leadership. This was my thought.
However, some people, decided that their work would resort to threats, intimidation and forcibly use power to grab our party.
Today, I am telling you, try someone else and not Uhuru son of Kenyatta. This is because, when you gave us the leadership including the party, you had a manifesto, and we have tried to implement the manifesto.
We did our part and handed over power peacefully. We did it in broad daylight. Even, when they abused me in the public glare, I sat and watched quietly, because that was their right.
But the party is not for Uhuru, it has its owners. , they asked me to safeguard it and until they tell me, they have got a new leader, I will remain at the helm.
Kenya is a democratic country, jubilee formed alliance with other parties, and the dream has not died out. And if it dies, it will only be affected by you people,” he said.
With the exit of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga from the local political scene, Raila who was the black political sheep of Murima, Ruto now takes over as the ‘devil’ to Mt Kenya.
He is currently, the new political punching bag in Murima and just like Raila was to the Mountain, Ruto has fitted into his shoes and on the overdrive backlash.
Despite Ruto’s appointment of Uhuru allies in Mutahi Kagwe, William Kabogo, Lee Njiru into the cabinet among others, the into the cabinet among others, the murima is more slippery than never before.
With the possible teaming up of Wamunyori and Ichaweri, the son of Sugoi is not at ease. As Chinua Achebe writes in his book No Longer at Ease, and Former President, the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, President wrote Facing Mount Kenya, President Ruto will have to thematically analyze the two books in his pursuit of his second term.
