Can William Ruto change  course for Kenya’s VPs? 

I am one of those who interrogate Kenya Deputy President William Ruto’s controversial philosophy. 

Today, I’m building on the same by looking at chances for Ruto to make it to the top job. Kenya’s history shows that out of its Kenya’s 10 vice presidents (VPs), it’s only Daniel arap Moi who landed the presidency after the death of his boss, Jomo Kenyatta. 

There are assumptions that if Kenyatta had lived to retire, or relinquish power, Moi wouldn’t have become president. For the rest of the VPs, none made it to the top job.  

Currently, Ruto seeks to emulate his mentor and tribesman Moi to become president though differently since his boss is still alive, and will soon retire. Again, there’s a difference between deputy president and VP legally and constitutionally.

Jaramogi Odinga had issues with Kenyatta that forced him to quit the government and join the opposition. 
After Odinga, there came Moi who had no issues with his boss although he had issues with Kenyatta’s inner sanctum, aka the Kiambuu Mafia. 

He outsmarted them by keeping his cards to his chest. After Moi, at last, after weathering heavy storm and becoming president, he appointed Mwai Kibaki to appease the Kikuyu. However, things didn’t go as planned for Kibaki. 

Before long, after being VP for nine years, Kibaki fell out with his boss and as was for Odinga, he quit the government and joined the opposition to end up clinching presidency for 14 years, thereafter beating Moi’s choice Uhuru Kenyatta whom Moi wanted to hand the baton as a sign of reciprocity for what his father did. 

Again, Kibaki was able to punish his boss after teaming up with other Moi’s vice presidents such as Saitoti, Musyoka and the son of Odinga, Raila.
When Kibaki became president, he appointed Michael Kijana Wamalwa, who, alas died before finishing his term in office. 

Therefore, we can’t say anything about him as far as power struggle between president and VP is concerned. 
The same applies to his tribesman, Moody Awori who left without any issues with his boss. Thus, we move on to VP George Saitoti, who served at this capacity for 14 years. Being Moi’s VP for such a long time, Saitoti believe that his boss would hand him a baton after retiring. 

However, Saitoti got the shock of his life. The baton’s instead was given to a greenhorn Uhuru Kenyatta whom Kibaki easily trounced in 2002. Like Odinga and Kibaki, Saitoti left the government and joined the opposition and helped it to defeat the choice and protegee of his boss as a sign of revenge. 

At least, Kibaki and Saitoti punished their boss Moi, who left power unceremoniously but dies a national hero after Uhuru became president.
The last VP who made it to the opposition and helped to punish his boss, Kibaki, is Kalonzo Musyoka who saved as Kibaki’s VP for five years. 

After Kibaki, like Moi, supported Uhuru, Kalonzo left the government and joined the opposition though Uhuru this time won and Kibaki triumphed where Moi didn’t. Importantly, the upshot here’s that for VP to inherit his boss is historically difficult in Kenya.

Now, let’s see if Ruto will make it to the top with all squabbles between him and his boss. Experience shows that to be a good VP, one must keep a low profile instead of thinking they are a shareholder to the presidency. 

Mhango is a lifetime member of the Writers’ Alliance of Newfoundland and Labrador         [email protected].