The wheelbarrow

How the Wheelbarrow, “a 16 th Century invention” could become the political gamechanger in the 2022
Kenyan succession Politics!
As an avid follower of Kenyan politics, I am fascinated by the fact that a one-wheel technological
innovation of the agrarian revolution is now the likely game changer in the furious political battle that
belie “the change the constitution moment” akin to a similar clamor during the sunset days of Kenya’s
First President, H.E Jomo Kenyatta in mid-1970’s. Indeed, History has an uncanny way of repeating itself.
But the similarities end with the subject of these two political events, who are both heir apparent to the
“Big” office and could already smell a whiff of the house on the hill.
Granted, the circumstances for the two political events are very different: The current effort at amending
the 2010 constitution is the product of BBI. The BBI was borne out of a political crisis that arose from the
contested 2017 Presidential Elections. I will avoid the details of the immediate aftermath of the political
contestations but recognize the ensuing handshake at the steps of Harambee House in Nairobi on March
2018. This heralded a new political ecosystem, the like of which has remained a puzzle to even the greatest
political pundits in the country. The handshake culminated a period of political uncertainty and
heightened tensions. At the steps of Harambee house, the two principals, H.E. President Uhuru Muigai
Kenyatta and Rt. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga came up with an agreed 9-point agenda which according to
their wisdom outlined what was ailing us as a people and that required immediate fixing.
However, this handshake had an unforeseen impact on the presidency. It immediately occurred to most
Kenyans that the camaraderie and laissez-faire demeanor of the president and his deputy that had oozed
easily during their first term in office had begun to melt away into oblivion. This has evidently disrupted
Jubilee’s and President Kenyatta legacy, 4-point development agenda after the ruling party split into two
rival factions, Tanga Tanga and Kieleweke. At this point, ODM, a NASA Coalition principal partner hastily
abdicated its role as the de-facto opposition leader; throwing other NASA coalition partners into an
unfathomable conundrum. The handshake confusion did not just jolt Jubilee Party it equally decimated
NASA. What ensued was the elevation of Hon. Raila Odinga as a Co-Principal of H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta and
a further re-alignment of the Cabinet. As all this happened, Dr. William Samoei Ruto, a consummate and
eloquent orator, begun to re-engineer himself and marshal his Tanga Tanga Brigade. Using his official
Karen residence and Sugoi home, the Deputy President will start to receive delegations from all across
Kenya to the chagrin of the BBI proponents. To some, this amounted to outright rebellion against his boss
but to most of Ruto supporters and adherents this was bravado par excellence.
As a staunch Christian, DP Ruto will penetrate the Church like a colossus in a way that no other Kenyan
Politician may have ever done save perhaps for the Late Professor of Politics H.E. Daniel Toroitich Arap
Moi. He has traversed the breadth and width of this country in his quest to endear himself to both clergy
and laity. His critics could be heard questioning the legitimacy and source of the money that he gave out
either as offertory or as donations during his spiritual odyssey. This hardly stopped the man from Sugoi.
If anything, these criticisms and innuendos only seemed to fire up Dr. Ruto. It was as if DP Ruto was now
unstoppable. The BBI brigade was certainly becoming afraid. They got an even bigger scare when Dr. Ekuru
Aukot managed to secure 1 Million signatures for his Punguza Mizigo Constitutional amendment Bill. Dr.
Aukot surprisingly got a nod from IEBC and went as far as presenting his proposals to several County
Assemblies. This was not a mean feat. Which is why there were even suggestions that DP Ruto may have
had a hand in Dr. Aukot’s scare Punguza Mizigo Constitution Amendment Bill!

Then came the Reggae! The Kieleweke faction dived into the jam sessions with a frenzy. At last they had
a crowd pulling show that allowed them space, time and opportunity to parade their political arsenal. The
excited BBI battalion used these regional political shows to demonstrate their political might and used the
same to castigate the Tanga Tanga faction. However, this political machismo and bravado was short lived.
DP Ruto and his team had coined a slogan that resonated soundly with millions of youths across the
country. The Hustler movement was born. As if that was not enough political ammunition, the team
labeled the Kieleweke faction leaders as members of Kenyan Dynasties. What a bombshell! The drums of
Reggae were heated up as if to drum out the noise of this Hustler movement. As if the gods had felt the
political heat begin to cascade into their sacred abodes, Covid-19 struck. The reggae drums stopped and
so did the hustler chants.
After a short while the reggae drums started to beat again and the hustler caravan was back on the
highway. As the reggae brigade was drumming up support for the BBI report, the hustler Movement was
busy with the so-called empowerment missions. These empowerment missions involved donations to
youth, women and plwd groups from all over the country. Among the tools of trade that the Hustler
movement distributed during such missions was the wheel barrow-Yes! The one-wheel invention of the
16 th Century. This was soon picked up by the anti-Ruto crusaders as the symbol of demeaning the youth.
There were even caricatures splashed all over social media platforms: In some a wheel barrow was used
to substitute the DP’s picture at an official event. The humor was not missed; but DP Ruto vehemently
defended his empowerment actions; by reminding his fiercest critics that the wheel barrow could
perhaps, be the trigger to success for some disadvantaged Kenyans whose immediate need was a means
to transport goods/produce from one point to the next. I also see wheel barrows used in construction
sites, to carry jerrycans of water, to move farm goods……. the list is endless! Perhaps the one-wheel
invention of the 16 th century is still very useful in the 21 st century! And for this reason, it could be the
game changer in Kenyan succession politics. Watch this space!