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Uncertainty defines road ahead of President Ruto

Thursday, November 24th, 2022 00:30 | By
Ruto set to leave for DRC ahead of his Korean trip
President William Ruto. PHOTO/Twitter.

A pertinent question among Kenyans is what will the country be like under President William Ruto. Or is it a wait-and-see scenario?

Ruto’s presidency has curtained hope about the future of many hustlers but also infiltrating fear to those who criticise his means.

William Ruto and his nominal selectorates were determined and ambitious enough to win the war and they did.

Ruto, with admiration has managed to sell ‘hope’ to low-social class and of course a fraction of the middle and high classes. With the low class forming the majority of eligible voters, they gave the President unmetered support and finally an overwhelming majority during the polls. Ruto became their only hope.

The eloquent narration of the hope made the mocked “chief chicken seller” occupy the House on the Hill and rank of Commander-in-Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces. That hope is still very hot on the skins of majority of Kenyans today.

Now the President has a heavy duty of managing the expectations of millions of Kenyans by delivering his promise without rationing. To start with, Ruto’s  administration has to prioritise economy. President Ruto’s speech after his swearing-in at Kasarani Stadium affirmed that he is well conversant with our ailing economy.

With the former regime being faulted for the trembling economy, Covid-19 pandemic and other global causes, an open debate should be initiated on the domestic economic policies. Auditing the country’s economic policies shall facilitate an easy road to a working economy.

Nonetheless, President Ruto did not inherit a shell like nation as some politicians want it believed.

His predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, though a passive but a positive president made huge investments on the infrastructural development, security and military advancement as well as setting high the price of Kenya on the international stage.

Uhuru’s passive nature on politics of the day should not leave his legacy go unrecognised. The diplomatic relations initiated and strengthened by Uhuru globally saw Kenya receive more than 10 visiting Heads of State and other foreign high profile officials during the inauguration ceremony of President-Elect William Ruto. Kenya has continued to grow its respect and recognition internationally to an extent of even securing space in international organisations such as United Nations Security Council, World Health Organisation, African Union and Labour Organisation.

This has also increased the bilateral and multilateral relations with other reputable countries.

With the recent occurrences of events in the geopolitical arena that anticipate for a new world order, the road ahead of President Ruto in the international scene demands him to be an active-positive President who will look out for allies of mutual benefit.

 The strategic positioning of Kenya dictates how significant player it is in the geopolitical arena. Indeed, Ruto should draw a foreign policy that puts the national interests at the helm of international cooperation.

Although the presidency of Ruto is much promising and gives hope, it is also involving fear for those who were opposed to his presidency.

The fear of the administration rising to authoritarianism and quashing either directly or through proxies the voices that would stand by its way. The fear that some promises made were hot air and the regime might fail to deliver them, putting it in mind that they are not economically feasible.

However, the opponents or fierce critics of the same must live with it that Ruto is the new sheriff to drive the country for the next five years.

With the change of guard, the country has seen the rise of new, hopeful generation that is zealous, sober and super active and many people are optimistic about the future.

— The writer is a foreign policy and political intelligence analyst

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