Raila conned through handshake.

Most Ruto supporters remember 8th March 2018 with nostalgia. That’s the last day they were truly happy. When everything was perfect. Uhuru was in power, DP Ruto was second in command and poised to take over in 4 years time. What could possibly go wrong?

The cracks in Jubilee Coalition had been around for a while. The supporters could not see that though because they were still living in euphoria of winning a second election. When Raila shook hands with President Uhuru no one knew how to make sense of it. It caught everyone off guard from both camps. Even the DP himself stuttered and pretended to have known a handshake was in the offing. When it became clear Raila was coming to replace his influence, hell broke loose. Since then, most DP supporters have never known happiness. At night they look at the calendar, circle 8th March 2018 and cry themselves to sleep.

For two months we were on a limbo. We did not know what the handshake meant for the country. Duale and Kuria’s political careers were on verge of collapse. They had made a name from attacking Raila and ODM. Now their boss was in good terms with their political enemy and they did not know how to react. The boss had not given them a brief on how they should behave. They locked themselves in their homes and wished this unwelcome cloud away. On the other hand, Babu Owino and Millie Odhiambo were being forced to reinvent their politics. A man they had thrown vile insults to, they were supposed to praise and cuddle him. It was chaotic in the Kenyan political sphere.

Things began to truly fall apart on May 18, 2018. It was a national prayer day. Everyone was expected to be on the best behavior. Raila had been invited for the event. Kalonzo tagged along meekly. Since skipping the swearing ceremony on January 30th 2018, Kalonzo was walking on eggshells. He did not know the future of their coalition and MOU with Raila. He did not know what his more powerful friend was planning. He had been given the name Watermelon years ago for doing something almost similar. The name that gave him nightmares at night was coming back to haunt him. That’s why he would never have missed the prayer breakfast for anything in the world. Ruto tagged along with his boss, it was their event. He was the second in command and no one would steal his spotlight. Raila did.

After the national prayer day it became clear that Uhuru was earnestly going to work with Raila. Many people anticipated that he would find a way to accomodate everyone. With each passing day, it became clear the more Raila was being accomodated, the further to the curb Ruto was being kicked. Ruto supporters started complaining of stomach discomfort and loss of appetite. By the time BBI fever caught up, most of them were being treated of ulcers complications. Avoiding delicacies like prime time news and sweet phrases like Uhuruto and kumira kumira. Doctors said that those words had high levels of acidity to their delicate stomach walls. By the time Kipchumba Murkomen and others were fired from their jobs, their supporters didn’t care anymore. Most were already depressed and surviving on crack. A few had accepted their new normal by checking into rehabs and Alcohol Anonymous groups.

When the pandemic hit the country, it seemed that Ruto would now be thrown into oblivion. Kagwe was praised by international media. Uhuru wearing African print was authoritative yet protective as he locked down the country. Ruto was nowhere to be found. His political star was dwindling. He was ridiculed. His political wit that had served him since 1992 failed him. He was a cornered man who appeared to have peaked in politics too early. Until Denis Okari happened.

The mismanagement of Corona funds shook the nation. This was a country that was synonymous with corruption but even in the wildest dreams of any Kenyan, no one imagined people would plunder so much with abandon. Since Ruto had been sidelined by the government, he was the only saint and boy did he preach. A series of tweets from his official Twitter account castigated the plunder. With his new found sainthood, Ruto reactivated the Hustlers slogan. Us against them. The oppressed being given a voice.

The hustler movement is gaining momentum. From Athi River to Kisii and Kitengela the Hustler’s don is pulling millions of people. Only Raila in the history of independent Kenya has ever pulled crowds as Ruto is doing.

While Ruto’s star is now shining bright, Raila’s mojo is fading. Kenyans are blaming him for the failures of the government. It’s ironical since it’s Ruto who’s in the government not vice versa. It doesn’t matter though because when it comes to politics, nothing is supposed to make sense. When Raila was the prime minister, he was blamed for the government’s directive to evict people from Mau Forest. Kibaki let him take all the blame. The issue was politicized making Raila lose votes in Rift Valley. Now he’s taking the blame for the current government. Just like a decade ago, it might go on to deny him the presidency. His holy grail.

Most of Ruto supporters have now started to smile. Things might not be good like they were two years ago but they are not as bad as they were a few months ago. They are still living in a rented tin roofed mud house but in the past few months they have bought a wooden stove to keep them warm at night. Who knows, maybe in 2022 they might be able to spend Christmas in their house once again. Where will that leave Raila supporters?