DESPITE THE IRONY OF A BILLIONAIRE CLAIMING TO BE A HUSTLER, CLASS POLITICS WILL SHAPE 2022 POLITICS.

Deputy President William Ruto is a shrewd political operative and a man on a mission: State House 2022. He has shown the willingness to burn bridges and make new ones if it suits him in his quest to be the fifth occupant of the house on the hill. His latest move has been to rebrand himself as the defender of the hustlers-a common tag reserved for the downtrodden in society. The move has won him, admirers and detractors, alike, and they never fail to light up social media with their spats and witty insults.

But here is the unpopular truth, the man does not qualify an inch to be a hustler. He was once like you and me but at the moment, he isn’t a hustler. Before you go, allow me to explain my view using Walter Chesang’s analysis of the matter published in the Standard (5-7-2019) Walter describes the journey Ruto took to be where he is right now, right from the moment he joined politics as a Youth For KANU activist back in 1990. He writes that the man has made a fortune from his 29 (Now 30) years in politics, including now as the Deputy President. Who can deny that he is a wealthy man?

He owns several properties in the country including hotels, acres of land, stock options, and some real estate. His kids are well-off too, his son Nick landed a lucrative tender with the Kenya Meat Commission to provide the now-military-run outfit with meat worth millions. Whether he landed it as a result of his father’s influence in government is a subject left for Kieleweke bloggers to speculate. But a man who owns three choppers and has several billion shillings in the bank does not qualify to call himself a hustler.

Politics is about perception and emotions, as facts have never won an election since the voters never care a rat’s ass about your politics. If people like you, they will vote for you even if your agenda is unknown. Look at 2013, the people voted for Uhuruto because they felt sympathy for the two men whom they believed were innocent of the ICC charges and believed (unfortunately) were set up by Raila Odinga. The use of the hustler tag is a clever attempt by the DP to make himself likable to the youth. Like bushfire, the tag seems to be working as he is getting support from youth across the political and ethnic divide.

This brings me to my final thoughts that come 2022, the social class will be a big factor in deciding who will succeed Uhuru as he retires. Many Kenyans feel like the nation is becoming more unequal as a result of Uhuru’s economic policies that have favored billionaires like him and some select millionaires while impoverishing the man youths left without employment. Let us not forget that Ruto has served as Deputy President in this government, the same administration that is responsible for this economic mess. Will we vote in another billionaire or a bonafide hustler as our Commander-in-Chief?