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Deputy President William Ruto is jittery over the handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and NAS leader Raila Odinga. This is mainly informed by the feeling that he was isolated.
This is further compounded by the uncertainty of whether Raila will be on the ballot in 2022 or not. The potential entry of Raila into the 2022 presidential contest will complicate his game-plan.
They will only be friends and Ruto will only appreciate Raila if the Nasa leader keeps off the contest and instead backs him
Right now Ruto is more ambitious than he was in 2007. He is at the doorstep of the highest political office.
Ruto has realised that Raila can coalesce various key political figures that can scuttle his State House dream.
That is why Ruto is not comfortable with the handshake and is not keen on the building bridges initiative which he sees as a political game to isolate him than a genuine peace building initiative.
So far no community or political leader except the architects of that initiative Raila and Uhuru have found use of that bridge. They are the only ones who have felt the necessity of that bridge.
For Uhuru, if the handshake doesn’t work, attainment of his legacy will be a tough call. A domesticated Raila is better than one out in the wild.
That is why he will do everything to ensure the initiative is sustained.
Raila on other hand knows that the statesmanship crown he wants and yearns for can only come if he plays respectable politics and building bridges initiative provides that forum.
Uhuru and Raila will certainly not want to derail or sabotage the only chance they believe they have left to end years of rivalry between the Kenyatta and Jaramogi family that has split Kenya for years.
Bigambo is a political analyst and governance consultant, he spoke to the Star.
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