Let deal between President and Kanu leader lead to better Kenya

President William Ruto and Kanu National Chairman Gideon Moi after a meeting at State House, Nairobi, on October 9, 2025. [PCS] Every soldier has a commander because discipline is born of obedience, and no mission succeeds without direction. Even the bravest warrior must yield to a higher command. Be it a leader, a cause or the quiet voice of conscience. If I don't make that admission from the outset, then everything else I am going to say today will make no sense at all. It is public knowledge that two giants of Kenya's politics had a public rapprochement last week. First, my leader and mentor Gideon Moi visited the State House. Then the President visited the historic Kabarak home. Finally, the two leaders, who have had no love lost between them in the past, have committed to tackle the challenges of this country from the same side. For the avoidance of doubt, let word go forth from this time and place that I stand ten toes behind my leader and my party on this decision. Chairman, as my party leader is known in political circles, has made it clear that we cannot abandon the people of Kenya. The challenges confronting this country are at his fingertips and he has agonised about them. He believes that the intractability of our political and economic challenges demand that we develop an intellectual and political sophistication where not everything is framed in the simple binary of either black or white. That in our political and democratic discourse, we must be open to hear, especially those that we may not agree with on the big issues. My Christian faith reminds me that the good Lord told his disciples, in the book of John 10:27 that "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me''. While Christ is our heavenly shepherd, politically, my shepherd is the man Kenyans adoringly refers to as "Doktari''. Well for those who might not know the origin of that moniker, it's because he is the physician of Kenyan politics. No pun intended. The entire Kanu party will therefore in coming days sustain the very issues we have been saying without prevarication or equivocation. These issues don't just vanish because these two great leaders have chosen direct engagement over megaphone diplomacy. But one thing for a fact is that our tone will change. We will not howl and bellow at the President as we have sometimes done. For we are guided by the wisdom of Thomas Jefferson, that in matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock". We will firmly but respectfully remind our newfound friends that the young people are desirous of meaningful change. Many of them in political parties and outside political parties fear that the political class, especially the ones with the mandate to lead, have gone further ahead and left them behind. We will remind our friends that as responsible civic actors, we must not leave a political void in the midst of our people that can be filled so easily by extremist forces. Rapprochement between the President and Chairman must help restore the faith of the people in the power of government as a tool of social good. We request the President to focus more intently on the human rights front. We appreciate the delicate balancing act he has to make daily between human rights and national security concerns. As a party that once enjoyed levers of power, we believe that while the two are non-negotiable, they can be both attained without compromising either. As a consequence of the work I do with young people at the Manifesto Yetu coalition, I pray that we find means of putting our young people to work soonest. The level of desperation in our midst is quickly heading to the red zone. As Kanu, we believe this country has the means and the ability to solve the big challenges of our time. We give the President our unconditional support to do just that. God bless Kenya. Mr Kidi is the convener of Inter-Parties Youth Forum. kidimwaga@gmail.com

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