As 2017 General Elections fast approaches, political events have been intensified across the country and one man who has been on the fore front is DP William Ruto. The Deputy President has held a series of meetings with different groups at his now famous Sugoi home as he try to consolidate backing for the yet to be registered Jubilee party. What has caught many eyes however is the manner in which the Deputy President has been going about the same, bringing back the YK92 memories.
YK92 was formed in 1992 and put under the stewardship of Cyrus Jirongo, then 31 years old, to galvanise youth behind Daniel Arap Moi’s re-election bid, which was then under severe threat as the country faced the first multiparty General Election – under a vigilant civil society and external observers. Fearful of losing his grip on power, Moi printed billions of shillings that were dished out to buy loyalty, triggering stratospheric inflation that took a decade to mop up.
It is during this period that the culture of buying public support was refined. Cyrus Jirongo seemed to have too much money to the extent that the 500 note was named after him. However this would later have far reaching consequences on our economy as inflation came knocking.
Just like KANU in 1992, the Jubilee administration seems to be in the panic mode for failing to deliver on most of their promises. The common mwananchi has nothing left to smile about despite the many promises that came with the Jubilee administration. We have many grumbles coming from the Rift Valley than smiles. Maybe this is the foundation of what we have seen in the past few weeks.
Recent activities by the Deputy President seem to borrow so much from the YK92, of which he was a member. The only difference is the strategy he has assumed in dishing out the cash that has of late been baptised ‘the brown envelop’.
Unlike in 1992 when the Moi government chose to print more money, the Deputy President has left many with questions on where he gets all the millions that he has been dishing out to leaders from regions seen to be repellent to the ruling coalitions. Some have even gone further to call for an audit on his lifestyle with a fear that the money might be courtesy of the many corruption scandals that have rocked the Jubilee administration, key among them being the NYS and the Eurobond scandals.
Another thing that has thrown the general public into panic is the fact that his main focus seems to be elected leaders from the opposition. Many fear that this might take the country back to the dark days of one single party and thus killing the gains the country has made so far on this front.
Different theories have also emerged as to why the DP is on the buying spree of politicians from the opposition. It is not lost on many that the 50/50 sharing URP enjoys was pegged on the backing from Rift Valley. However, with the Jubiliee coalition partners set to merge into Jubilee Party, the Kalenjin community will no longer be used as a bargaining factor. It is for this reason that he is buying political leaders so that when the Jubilee party is finally launched, he will have the numbers to bargain yet again.
With all these happenings, one thing remains at stake; the gains the country has achieved in terms of democracy. The scramble for money otherwise known as hand-outs has compromised the integrity of many leaders who have been reduced to bootlickers. They are no longer focused on serving those who elected them but rather competing on who can shout the loudest in support of the Deputy President.
It is for these reasons Kenyans must stand up and say enough is enough for we have no shortage of noble leaders.
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