Written by
Faridah N Kulumba
Africa-Press – Kenya. At the beginning of this week, Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto was blocked by immigration officials from flying to the neighbouring country Uganda for the private meeting with President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, insisting that Ruto had to get clearance from Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The DP was to use a Cessna 569XL with registration 5Y WHB, which was ready for the flight but the crew was told at the last minute that their VVIP guest would not be flying.
Surprisingly Ruto’s team he was travelling with including Oscar Sudi MP of Kapseret, Kiharu’s Ndindi Nyoro, Kinango’s Benjamin Tayari, and businessmen David Muge, Simon Mogun and Nelson Kisait were allowed to proceed, Daily Monitor reported.
But why was Ruto meeting Museven for the second time in weeks
According to the Nation, in an interview with MP Sudi, he said their aim was to borrow political lessons from Museveni’s National Resistance Movement Party (NRM) which has ruled Uganda for more than 35 years.
With the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) set to be Ruto’s political vehicle in his presidential quest, Sudi said they wanted to learn party management practices from President Museveni’s handlers.
“We are interested in how Museveni runs NRM, because we want to follow his example when it comes to political parties,” Mr Sudi said.
Ruto’s allies also revealed that he wants to hire President Museveni’s chief political advisers as he prepares his State House bid in the 2022 General Election.
Need for Museveni’s Strategies
Ruto allies explained that he is determined to hire President Museveni’s chief strategies because they believe that next year’s election “is a do-or-die game” for him. Adding that President Museveni’s political experience would be crucial in Ruto’s presidential campaigns.
“President Museveni is surrounded by wise people who will be vital in this journey, He also has a lot of ‘intel’ which is important in any political game,” Mp Tangatanga said.
UDA members also explained to the Nation that Ruto and Museveni’s relationship has not just started recently, but it has been growing over the years, and that they expect Museveni to help Ruto like a friend would do.
James Omoding, a political analyst in an interview with Africa-Press said Judging by the way things are on Ruto’s side, after falling out with President Kenyatta in 2018, he might be looking for a mentor who will be able to guide him through the upcoming General Elections. Although DP Ruto did not travel to Uganda, his allies who managed to travel said they met with Museveni’s advisors and compared notes.
ODM reacted to Ruto’s strategy
However members of Raila Odinga’s Party Orange Democratic Movement reacted to Ruto’s act saying that they do not need to borrow from any other country’s political habits, whose end results can only lead to chaos and backwardness of their country, which has the most advanced democracy in the region.
“The NRM record on human rights is not worthy borrowing. The NRM record on good governance is not worthy borrowing, The NRM record on expanding civil societies is not worthy borrowing. The NRM record on fighting corruption is not worthy of borrowing. The NRM record on uplifting people from poverty is not worthy borrowing,” said ODM members.
They concluded by saying that the NRM is the party of the lifetime presidency.
