Gen-Z Pressure Forces President Ruto to Fall Back on Regional Kingpins

Gen-Z Pressure Forces President Ruto to Fall Back on Regional Kingpins

When he took over as president in 2022, President William Ruto appeared to have ignored the role of regional kingpins. His inaugural cabinet, though a cocktail of politicians and technocrats, did not wield much political weight.

20 months later, a crisis confronted him. Gen Z, among other irreducible minimums, demanded an overhaul of the cabinet. The president convened and included them in reconstituting the country's highest decision-making body. The ODM party, home of regional political kingpins, offered him refuge. His decision, however, appears to have unsettled youthful leaders in Western Kenya.

For instance, in Western Kenya, all the political bigwigs like Wycliffe Oparanya, Moses Wetangula, and Mukhisa Kituyi are in the fold. UDA Secretary-General Cleophas Malala, former Sports CS Rashid Echesa, among other leaders, are now going for their jugular, demanding accountability for their pre-election promises.

The meeting's agenda was to discredit the current leadership of Western Kenya, spearheaded by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetangula, and the current nominee for cooperatives Lord Wanyonyi. They treated them as political outcasts from the Luhya community, being used by external forces, including the Deputy President of the country, Rigathi Gachagua, to undermine Western Kenya's leadership.

The script has been the same in Mombasa. Nyali MP Mohammed Ali and Senator Hassan Omar have been aiming to oust Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir. The region is perceived to be an ODM stronghold and the elevation of Joho to the cabinet as one of the party’s deputy leaders may complicate the duo's political arithmetic.

The president has his traditional kingpins, the ones we know, yet there are people fighting for the same space within the same regions who want to emerge as another force to challenge the status quo. What is that telling you? It’s indicating that definitely another third formation is emerging. I can tell you that you will never have just two strong candidates in Kenya again. You are going to have more than two outfits competing for political power from what is currently happening.

Until recently, Central Kenya had no breathing space following the onslaught from youthful leaders, including Kiarie John Kiarie and National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wa. We had leaders like Kiarie coming up, many others were emerging, but they’ve been silenced because things have changed. They have to run back to the mountain, in quotes, and think about how to emerge again. Others have been silenced and have to go quiet first and take their mathematical calculations right before opening their mouths.

It is no different among the Luhya, as youthful leaders like Babu Owino of Embakasi East and David Osianji of Ugunja position themselves as the political carriers of the region. Whether their dreams will come to fruition remains a matter of time.

Keywords

• President William Ruto
• Regional Kingpins
• Gen Z
• Cabinet Overhaul
• ODM Party
• Western Kenya Leadership
• Mombasa Political Landscape
• Third Political Force
• Central Kenya Youth Leaders
• Luhya Political Future

FAQ

Q: Who did President Ruto bypass in his inaugural cabinet? A: President Ruto bypassed regional kingpins in his inaugural cabinet.

Q: What event prompted the crisis that confronted President Ruto? A: The crisis was prompted by demands from Gen Z and other irreducible minimums to overhaul the cabinet.

Q: How did the ODM party contribute to the current political situation? A: The ODM party offered refuge and support to President Ruto in reconstituting the highest decision-making body.

Q: Who are some of the notable youthful leaders in Western Kenya challenging the status quo? A: Notable youthful leaders in Western Kenya include Cleophas Malala and Rashid Echesa.

Q: What challenges do the traditional kingpins in Mombasa face? A: Traditional kingpins in Mombasa, like Governor Abdulswamad Nassir, face challenges from emerging leaders like Nyali MP Mohammed Ali and Senator Hassan Omar.

Q: What is the significance of the third political force emerging in Kenya? A: The third political force signifies that Kenya's political landscape might no longer be dominated by just two strong candidates, indicating more than two outfits competing for power.

Q: How have youthful leaders impacted the political dynamics in Central Kenya? A: Youthful leaders in Central Kenya have been silenced and have had to re-strategize their approach in the changing political climate.