History rarely forgives those who ignore its warnings. In the annals of Kenyan politics, few miscalculations have proven as disastrous as former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s fateful decision to align with Deputy President William Ruto. In 2013, while the country was still reeling from the trauma of the 2007–2008 post-election violence and the International Criminal Court (ICC) proceedings loomed over both men, Uhuru chose political expediency over national healing. He embraced an alliance rooted in fear, not vision, and the cost may ultimately be the soul of the republic.

Uhuru knew who Ruto was. The ICC charges may not have ended in convictions, but the reputational damage lingered. Unlike Uhuru’s case, which was dropped, Ruto’s file remained symbolically ajar, suggesting that justice might one day return for unfinished business. That alone should have warranted caution. But power-hungry calculations overrode principle. Uhuru saw in Ruto the key to consolidating the Kikuyu and Kalenjin blocs, a gateway to State House. He walked across that bridge willingly. Then, with blinding arrogance, he set it ablaze behind him.

Once in power, the alliance began to fray. Ruto was never content with ceremonial titles. He methodically built parallel power structures, especially in Mt. Kenya, where he distributed church donations like political currency, sold the “hustler” narrative to the masses, and positioned himself as the savior of the ordinary Kenyan. The tragic irony? The man once accused of orchestrating ethnic violence now masquerades as the redeemer of national unity. The fox was guarding the henhouse.

Uhuru, in contrast, appeared increasingly aloof. More statesman than steward, more image than impact. While he focused on legacy projects and international acclaim, his own backyard crumbled. He underestimated Ruto’s ambition and overestimated his own authority. When he eventually endorsed Raila Odinga in a bid for redemption, it was too little, too late. The mountain had moved. Even in his home turf of Gatundu, Uhuru could not rally the vote for his preferred successor. The people had stopped listening.

However, to attribute Kenya’s current decline solely to Ruto would be dishonest. Uhuru was no saint. His presidency was marred by bloated debt, systemic corruption, and elite enrichment. Under his watch, Kenya’s public debt ballooned to unsustainable levels, fueled by opaque Chinese loans and grandiose infrastructure projects that served as conduits for looting. Every scandal—from the SGR contract to the NYS heists to the Arror and Kimwarer dam scandals- was either met with silence, denial, or selective outrage.

Uhuru presided over a government where billionaires emerged overnight, ministries became piggy banks, and procurement was the sport of politically connected cartels. The lifestyle of the ruling elite soared while millions of Kenyans sank deeper into poverty. Jubilee’s promise of transformation degenerated into a kleptocratic bonanza. And through it all, Uhuru’s detachment only deepened. He preached integrity abroad while corruption flourished at home.

When his conscience finally stirred, likely more from political pragmatism than moral awakening, he attempted to reform the very system he had enabled. But reform without repentance is performative. And endorsing Raila Odinga, while noble in symbolic terms, did not erase a decade of elite complicity. It merely redirected blame. It failed to inspire. The nation wanted justice, not political recycling.

Now, under Ruto’s presidency, the fruits of that political miscalculation are ripe and bitter. Grand promises have decayed into platitudes. Economic hardships have intensified. Ethnic divisions are resurfacing. Dissent is being criminalized. Corruption remains the bloodstream of statecraft. What was once a flawed democracy is fast becoming a fragile one.

Let there be no mistake: Uhuru Kenyatta may not occupy State House anymore, but his fingerprints are all over the wreckage. He empowered the very man whose leadership now threatens to undo Kenya’s democratic gains. He legitimized a dangerous populism, undermined public trust, and helped entrench a culture of political impunity masked as pragmatism.

This is not to absolve William Ruto. He must be held accountable for every act of incompetence, corruption, or authoritarian drift. However, the roots of today’s Kenya’s crisis can be traced back to a boardroom deal made in 2013 by two men more concerned with power than posterity.

Uhuru may now regret his decision. But as history has always shown, regret is a poor substitute for responsibility. The monster has been unshackled. And a nation is bleeding, again, not because of ignorance, but because of willful blindness from the very top.

DIASPORA TIMES EDITORIAL

DISCLAIMER:
This editorial reflects the collective voice of concerned citizens in Kenya and the diaspora. It is based on publicly available information, political observation, and constitutional rights to free expression. It is not an accusation of criminal guilt but a moral and civic call for accountability and ethical leadership.