GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL UNITY: President Ruto Transforms GenZees War into US Against Them

By Prof.Dr. Halimu Shauri

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The four weeks of demonstrations by GenZees has not only laid the foundation for transforming Kenya but also has created an awareness of good leadership and governance like never before in the history of Kenya.

Many things have started to change due to pressure from GenZees and many more will change as the pressure get sustained.

Evidently, the Finance Bill 2024/25 was dropped, Inspector General of police resigned, cabinet was dissolved and state crafting by President Ruto went to a higher gear!

With his eyes on the 2027 ball, President Ruto’s state crafting is unparalleled. How? You may be asking.

He managed to score three goals in one penalty kick.

Indeed, in state crafting the new cabinet, the first goal, President Ruto scored was in making sure that he weakens the opposition by completely dismantling ODM, the party to watch because of “baba”.

As we speak, ODM is a shell of an egg with the yoke and albumin having been made into a pie by Kenya Kwanza of President Ruto. The pie is at the floor of Parliament ready to be eaten any time.

In the second goal, the President managed to stay focused and consistent with the prophecy they made together with former President Uhuru, aka: “Kumi Yangu, Kumi Yako”.

From the unfolding events, the road to 2027 seems very clear and determined for the president.

What President Ruto is praying now is for the vetting of his cabinet nominees to sail through Parliament without red cards from either centre referee or VAR one…

Once this is done successfully, 2027 would be done and dusted – just a remarkable walk in the park.

In the third goal, President Ruto ensured that he turns the tables by pitting ODM to the sharp jaws of the GenZees and his own Azimio-One Kenya brigades.

How? You are asking. By simply honouring John Mbadi as Treasury Cabinet Secretary. But in politics, what does this really mean?

It means the blame of inaction by Kenya Kwanza Alliance will now officially be transferred to ODM, leaving Ruto smiling all the way to State House in 2027. How you may be wondering?

Simply, the blame and lamentations on foreign debt, high cost of leaving, high taxation, austerity measures among others that were blamed on KKA, now tables will turn after successful vetting of John Mbadi, the ODM national chairman. Thus, ODM will have to defend KKA’s mess on its behalf!!!

However, the most serious question is where is the place for the GenZees in the new political formation?

Like the proverbial lion, GenZees killed the animal, but unfortunately hyenas have come to chase it away and have a free feast.

Reminiscent of our independence struggle where the Mau Mau fighters kicked out the European colonisers, but the founding father of the nation and his fellow elites took advantage of the situation and took over the presidency and its accompanying goodies, leaving the freedom fighters in the bush wallowing with poverty and desperation.

History miraculously repeats itself in unprecedented ways.

In the unfolding GenZees problem, President Ruto ensured that he expands the space of the government by bringing in fellow politicians and pitting them against GenZees.

I see a very likely possibility that President Ruto sold the GenZees crisis as a crisis of politicians and in the eyes of many politicians, the GenZees movement is not ethical.

How did the President likely do it? In my considered professional opinion, as a sociologist, he transformed the GenZee’s conflict into us vs them.

The war boundaries were drawn not between GenZees and the government, but between now the professionals called politicians and the public.

President Ruto successfully made of the majority of politicians to see that the Genzee crisis is not his war alone but a war against all politicians.

The President must have made it clear to his fellow politicians that “IF I lose to GenZees THEN politics would have been overridden by public interest and not their personal interests as politicians.

Because politics thrives on personal interests sold as public interest, it was very easy to convince politicians to join what they call the Government of National Unity.

Finally, it’s important to note that now the majority of the politicians, even the most vocal: Raila, Mbadi, Joho, Oparanya and Wandayi, have come to the rescue of KKA in your imagination.

Alas! They have neither come to the rescue of KKA or President Ruto’s administration or even the country, but the truth is they have come to the rescue of the so-called profession of politics for purposes of safeguarding personal or their own political interests.

Remember Vilredo Pareto once said that the governing minority political elites are organised, while the majority voters are disorganised.

And it’s a fact the organised minority impose their will over the disorganised majority.

The disorganised GenZees: Leaderless, formless, tribeless, party-less, majority had posed a threat to the minority governing elites, the politicians.

The war has now been transformed from President Ruto vs GenZees to politicians vs the GenZees and the rest of the citizens that support the later.

Prof.Dr. Halimu Shauri Consultant Sociologist & DeanSchool of Humanities and Social Sciences