The relationship between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto is arguably broken beyond repair, according to political analysts and key allies aligned to both sides. Kenyatta even dared his DP to resign from the government accusing him of hypocrisy.
"We need to either work together or not. If they feel that the government is favourable to them, then they should work with us but if they disassociate themselves, then let them resign," Kenyatta vented.
Ruto responded claiming that he was the only candidate capable of succeeding Kenyatta.
The Head of State has opted to delegate duties to other key allies who form part of his inner circle as he approaches retirement.
He started with cutting down Ruto's powers of overseeing development projects besides using proxies to counter Ruto's growing influence.
General Mohamed Badi
The Kenya Air Force officer was appointed Director-General of the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) in February 2020 after former Governor Mike Sonko signed the deed of transfer. Sonko handed over health, public works, planning and development roles.
Badi is key to Kenyatta’s legacy as the two work towards transforming Nairobi County. Badi has constructed over 24 new hospitals, dug boreholes, repaired and built new roads and also constructed affordable houses in the city.
He was also appointed to the Cabinet, pursuant to Executive Order No. 3 of 2020. Reports allege that Sonko was impeached as governor after he frustrated NMS by declining to release funds. Sonko has since joined DP Ruto’s camp.
“Badi is doing a great job and is not interested in politics. The military are efficient and are against corruption,” Kenyatta has constantly lauded him in various forums.
Major General Robert Kibochi
The Chief of Defence Forces took over from General Samson Mwathethe in May 2020. Kibochi will be at the centre stage of transition of power from Kenyatta's government in 2022.
Kibochi's will be tasked with ensuring a smooth transition of power. He is a member of the statutory Assumption of the Office of President Committee, which oversees the inauguration of the president-elect and a member of the National Security Council which provides the President and President-elect with security briefs.
Raphael Tuju
Jubilee Secretary-General, Raphael Tuju, has always been at the centre of the row between Kenyatta and Ruto. The President trusts him to lead Parliamentary Group (PG) meetings and also oversee changes in the party.
The former journalist has crossed paths with Ruto and his allies who have always used him as a punching bag in their retaliatory attack against Kenyatta. Tuju led a crackdown on Ruto’s allies, kicked them out of Senate and National Assembly roles and also overhauled Jubilee’s National Executive Committee (NEC) which saw Kenyatta retain power in Jubilee.
Tuju is also rallying Jubilee MCAs to pass the BBI bill which DP Ruto constantly and openly attacks.
Dennis Waweru
Waweru is the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) co-chair. Among his roles was organising public forums for presentations of ideas for the BBI draft, collecting signatures for the BBI bill and rallying counties to support the BBI and referendum.
Jubilee was reportedly considering the former Dagoretti South MP to run for the Nairobi gubernatorial elections, prior to the county assembly vetting and approving Deputy Governor Anne Kananu. Kananu is poised to be the new Governor of Nairobi.
The BBI will shape Kenyatta’s legacy as he looks towards uniting the country and ending election violence.
Kanini Kega
Kieni MP, Kanini Kega, is one of Kenyatta’s trusted lieutenants in Mt Kenya. The MP has been a thorn in the flesh for Ruto and his allies. He has allegedly been roped in on plans to ensure Uhuru has a firm grip on Jubilee affairs.
Kega pushed for the ouster of Garissa Town MP, Aden Duale, from the Senate Majority Leader position. Duale was replaced with West Pokot Senator Samuel Phoghisio. The MP also called for the resignation of Ruto from government and urged the DP to popularize the hustler narrative and the wheelbarrownomics politics outside government.
Kenyatta has also sent Kega to represent him in several burials attended by Ruto.
Mutahi Ngunyi
The former University of Nairobi (UoN) don is famous for the ‘tyranny of numbers’ numerology. Ngunyi predicted that Jubilee would win the 2013 presidential election as they would rally major ethnic communities behind them.
Ngunyi is a staunch defender of Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga and a huge critic of DP Ruto and his allies. Through his social media pages, the Fort Hall School of Government and Fifth Estate TV founder counters Ruto’s agendas and promotes Kenyatta’s philosophy.
