Uhuru visit to Raila a first act in a tricky play

• I think the deputy PM has something up his sleeve and the gesture is the first act of a long and tricky play

Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta’s dramatic – if highly symbolic – visit to Prime Minister Raila Odinga at his Karen home last week has left the tongues of mere mortals wagging loosely.

Does the son of Jomo know something we don’t? My crystal ball tells me that he has something up his sleeve, and the visit is only the first act of a very long and tricky play.

When the progeny of the two most famous political dynasties in the country retreat for a “secret” detente, you would be foolish not to smell a rat.

The only challenge is to identify the schemer and the schemed. Who, between Mr Odinga and Mr Kenyatta, is the more cunning?

There is more than meets the eye here. But let me first dispense with an implausible theory.

The lame explanation is that Mr Kenyatta was paying Mr Odinga a long delayed visit since the surgery on the latter’s head.

Sounds cute, but doesn’t quite cut it. Otherwise, how do you explain the family entourage complete with “sacrificial” sheep?

Peace offering

Perhaps it was a “peace offering”. May be Mr Kenyatta came to take a measure of Mr Odinga, and size up his opponent.

The inescapable fact is that the visit took place at the most pivotal moment in the country’s history since 1964. Their fathers launched the First Republic together.

Could the sons launch the Second Republic together?

I have several tantalising hypotheses. Perhaps Mr Kenyatta has concluded that Mr Odinga is unbeatable in 2012. If so, Mr Kenyatta would be wise to seek to be Mr Odinga’s running mate, and become Vice-President under Mr Odinga.

This would flip the positions of their parents in 1964 when Jaramogi was Jomo’s deputy. Mr Kenyatta could go into “political oblivion” if he’s not Mr Odinga’s deputy because there is no other “commanding” position in the new constitution.

If this is right, Mr Kenyatta came on a “bended knee” to pledge loyalty to Mr Odinga. Mr Kenyatta must have come to say “Raila Tosha”. What thinkest thou?

KKK alliance

Under this scenario, Mr Kenyatta may believe that the KKK alliance is doomed.

He may reckon that both Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and Higher Education minister William Ruto are damaged goods because of their positions on the referendum.

Even if the KKK alliance was viable, Mr Kenyatta may think that Mr Musyoka cannot beat Mr Odinga in 2012. That’s why he would throw in his lot with Mr Odinga rather than with Mr Musyoka.