Kikuyu-Kalenjin: Ruto needs to mend fences with Mt Kenya people

Every Kenyan politician knows that to feature in the Gang of Ten – the principal suspects in post-election violence according to the Justice Philip Waki report and his envelope – will be a death blow to political careers.

Sit back and watch

The 10 are likely to become Kenya’s Axis of Evil. This is why I have advanced the view that the 2012 General Election will be about the 2007 General Election and the violence that followed it.

At a different level, Uhuru hardly conceals his disdain for Raila and if his alliance with Ruto would add to the troubles in the storm-tossed ODM and discomfiture of the PM, the minister for Finance would happily look forward to its being ship wreaked ahead of the 2012 General Election.

But the point is: Will Raila sit back and watch as Rift Valley votes go to a rival party? The PM’s presence in the Rift Valley yesterday and today points to the great electoral importance of the area. However, whichever way one looks at events in the province, right now Ruto -- despite his imperfections -- calls the shots here and this fact will not be lost on Raila.

The Vice-President has been very careful and guarded when talking about post-election violence, knowing he could, come 2012, use it to his advantage either by personally accusing his rivals of causing it or using proxies so that he keeps his hands clean and maintains the you-are-safe-with-me mien.

He knows a Ruto-Uhuru-Kalonzo axis would be formidable, but so also does he know 2012 will be about 2007. How will he use it?

The writer is a media consultant. Apexmedian@yahoo.ca