• They both came to power as people’s irresistible propositions, thought to be smooth liners to the twists left by predecessors under the tribal umbrella.
  • Using the Moi-rule manual to run the country during these times would bring the aspirations of reviving the “Nyayo” times to naught because the populace of today is very different. Civic education is at its best, and this has been witnessed in Gen Zs since late June 2024.

With the exception of coming from humble beginnings, the Second President of the Republic of Kenya (the Late Daniel Moi) and the Fifth President (William Ruto), share a great deal of similarities regarding their political maneuvers.

President Ruto fell into politics in the 90’s, finding himself at the feet of the then-Head of State, President Moi. He later found grace in the friendship they formed, gaining him a seat at the high tables in the subsequent Governments.

Having interacted with the former President on many occasions, it is only natural to affirm that President Ruto could be using Moi’s ways as references to run his Administration.

They both came to power as people’s irresistible propositions, thought to be smooth liners to the twists left by predecessors under the tribal umbrella.

Being a Kalenjin, Moi was regarded as the best replacement to bring nationalism and exterminate the “Kiambu Mafia” notion since Mzee Jomo Kenyatta had ensured that all kinsmen, tribesmen, and holders of major Government positions were of the Kikuyu dialect.

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This later trickled down to Ruto’s situation, taking a –not-so-different form when Kenyans felt entitled to empathize with him. A plight fueled by a feeling of betrayal because his boss (President Uhuru Kenyatta) had become better acquainted with opposition leader Raila Odinga, prompting the ‘Hand Shake.’

President Ruto seems to have borrowed from President Moi’s history on Foreign Policy, as he has proven to be a good friend to Western International Partners. With multiple visits back and forth, it is safe to say that he could be working towards polishing steadfast global affiliations.

The recent Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) deployment to Haiti corresponds to President Moi’s stationing of Kenyan troops under the United Nations Transition Assistance Group (UNTAG) in Namibia in the late 90’s.

However, both Administrations have been put to the test following mass dissatisfaction with the manner of governance applied. President Moi’s regime was kept on its toes with an attempted coup in 1982 and the SabaSaba protests in 1990, while the Fifth Government has lately encountered a series of youth-led public decry which occasioned a breach and destruction of the Parliament infrastructure.

Using the Moi-rule manual to run the country during these times would bring the aspirations of reviving the “Nyayo” times to naught because the populace of today is very different. Civic education is at its best, and this has been witnessed in Gen Zs since late June 2024.