Former President Daniel Moi’s press secretary Lee Njiru has predicted that Deputy President Willam Ruto will be in politics for the next four decades.
Njiru, in an interview on Citizen Television on Wednesday night, said Kenyans should start getting used to seeing Ruto as he is still young and poised for a long political future.
“Ruto is now 55 years .. people of Kenya must learn to see his face because they will see it for a long time, in the next 40 years,” he said.
Njiru said the DP will be well financed and protected by the state after the end of his term and will have enough resources to continue politicking.
“When he leaves office, he will get two cars, 3000cc and 2000cc. He will get 80% of the salary of a sitting deputy president. He will get medical coverage and will have passports and access to VIP lounges in all international airports,” said Njiru.
Speaking about the strained relationship between President Uhuru and the DP, Njiru warned Kenyans against being divided by the two politicians, saying all politicians are alike.
“There is no difference between Ruto, Uhuru, Raila, Kalonzo, and Mudavadi. All those people are political cousins, they can turn against you…They are one clan,” he said.
Njiru likened Kenyan politicians to predators and the citizens to prey. He said it was a lesson he learned from Moi; “Before Mzee (Moi) died, he told me, when you go hunting with your dog, remember one thing. Your dog and the prey are cousins; they can turn against you.”
He cited an example of the frosty relationship between the late Presidents Mzee Jomo Kenyatta and Moi.
“When Moi was the leader of the opposition, he would attack Mzee Kenyatta often. In 1964, Kenyatta called Moi and told him he knew he was attacking him. He told him we are both politicians, Come and let us greet each other because the Kikuyu come from the East and Kalenjin from the West,” said Njiru.
Kenyatta and Moi would later meet in Nakuru to shake hands.
“They buried the hatchet, greeted each other and got land for their people in the Rift Valley and that is how Moi rose to become Vice President and later the second President of Kenya,” Lee said, adding that that is how Moi took the position of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga(Kenya’s first Vice-President).
When Moi ascended to power in 1978 and Jaramogi assumed the role of opposition leader, another handshake took place. Moi appointed Odinga chairman of the Cotton Lint and Seed Marketing Board.
Lee said these are just examples of how politicians are all alike at the expense of the common mwananchi.
“President Uhuru shook hands and made peace with Raila. They now call each other brothers. Kalonzo once said he would be ‘foolish’ to join hands with Odinga again, but look where he is now,” Njiru said.
“Amos Kimunya also said he would rather die than resign and he resigned. If you look at all these people they are political cousins. They are the same,” Lee added.
He said it is up to Kenyans to effect real change by putting themselves first.
“These people are not going anywhere, just reorganizing themselves. People of Kenya must learn to think about themselves but not those people who are already taken care of by the taxpayers.
“It is Kenyans who must wake up. When you go to vote, it is not a matter of life and death, rather, vote peacefully. These politicians will not starve.”
