BY JOE MODIE
Yesterday we explored how Uhuru Kenyatta supported retired president Mwai Kibaki when he was at his lowest moment and how he reaped handsomely from his patience and loyalty, as opposed to Paul Muite who turned his back on Kibaki and got thoroughly humiliated in the 2007 election, leading to his premature retirement from politics.
Contrary to the picture Moses Kuria so passionately painted in his post, Muite was actually the architect of his own downfall.
Moving on to Mwangi Kiunjuri, it is clear that the man has a knack for scoring own goals throughout his political career.
When Uhuru was campaigning for the presidential ticket in 2013, Kiunjuri decided to form his own political outfit called GNU and was seen to go against the wishes Uhuru Kenyatta and the larger Gikuyu community.
Like Muite before him Kiunjuri, at the time, felt that he was too big and that he could chart his own political path.
Instead of joining hands with Uhuru in Jubilee, he went his own way and lost his Laikipia East seat. He remained in political limbo until 2015, when he was appointed Devolution CS.
He was again tapped to head the agriculture docket in 2018.
When he was kicked out of cabinet for inefficiency he stuck to Ruto’s Tangatanga wing and started throwing salvos and Uhuru Kenyatta.
His dalliance with Ruto was also short-lived when he formed yet another political party and refused to fold it down on Ruto’s orders.
Ruto decided to fight back and enticed Kiunjuri’s key lieutenants back to UDA.
Thus Kiunjuri, not only failed the loyalty test when it came to Uhuru and Ruto and he is busy reaping the whirlwind.
Away from Kiunjuri, let us look at Moses Kuria and ask ourselves why he is currently bleating in the wilderness.
As Gatundu South MP, Kuria is president Uhuru Kenyatta’s MP, yet he has been busy throwing unkind words at the president, at the behest of Ruto.
When it became apparent that Uhuru and Ruto are not seeing eye to many sitting Mt Kenya MPs openly decided to back Ruto.
Not just content with backing Ruto, they have taken any opportunity available to even throw insults at Uhuru.
Apart from Kuria, other bitter Uhuru critics include Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wa, Kiharu MP, Ndindi Nyoro, Mathira MP, Rigathi gachagua and Kandara MP Alice Wahome.
Surely, how does Kuria expect Uhuru to groom such hostile politicians. Like Kibaki before him, Uhuru had to seek Raila Odinga’s support in order to shore up his government.
There had even been talk of an impeachment against him, instigated by his own deputy, thereby necessitating him to seek Odinga’s help.
Again like Kibaki, when Uhuru needed these Mt Kenya politicians, they acted just like Muite; they not only turned their backs against Uhuru, they have been actively fighting him.
The only politicians who have steadfastly stood with Uhuru during his trying moments, are Kieni MP, Kanini Kega and his Nyeri Town counterpart, Ngunjiri Wambugu.
Right now, the noises being made by Tangatanga politicians and their paid acolytes in Mt Kenya, might seem like Ruto has the region behind him.
However, the real test of the pudding is in the eating and thus Ruto’s hour of reckoning will come in 2022, when the people of Mt Kenya will go to the polls.
Then and only then will Ruto know, who between him and Uhuru Kenyatta is the real Mt Kenya Kingpin.
As a parting shot, Muite knows pretty well that Anyang’ Nyong’o and James Orengo were bitter critics of Odinga, but the moment they realised who owned the people, they folded their egos and decided to support the boss. Had they insisted on fighting Odinga, they currently would be exchanging notes with Muite.
Hii siasa haitaki makasiriko; inahitaji watu wajipange.
This is a good but biased article