Is Uhuru doing too little too late to salvage his legacy?

President Uhuru Kenyatta addresses Kenyans on September 14, 2018. There may be a remote possibility that Uhuru could earn himself a fresh dose of the reason of the doubt, which hopefully, he won’t squander a second time. PHOTO | SAMUEL MIRING'U

What you need to know:

  • This state of haste and exigency will expose him to errors and misjudgement, compounding the unflattering perceptions emanating from his previous term.
  • It is fair to say that Uhuru Kenyatta brought these pressures on himself — by not comprehensively exploiting the reason of the doubt extended his way starting in 2013.

Following the swearing-in of Uhuru Kenyatta as President in 2013, there was a sense, especially within the middle class — including those who didn’t vote for him — that maybe he deserved to be given, albeit grudgingly, the benefit of the doubt.

His had been a glitzy campaign, anchored on the ‘I will make Kenya the land of milk and honey’ narrative.

It wasn’t hard for sceptics to be persuaded by Uhuru’s ostentatious messaging. Aside from other considerations, the fact that Uhuru contemplated pulling out of the race, then quickly turned around and blamed demons for the move before re-entering the fray, was indicative of the sort of laissez faire approach he had toward the whole affair, as if he really didn’t want to be President.

There was even a sense that there existed a hidden hand urging him on, such that the presidency was more meaningful and attractive to others than it was to him.

But then he became President — including to those who didn’t vote for him — and this changed everything.

REDEMPTIVE BEHAVIOUR

It may sound like an oxymoron to suggest that even those who had little time for the man thought of giving him a chance, but the reality of politics is that once someone lifts the Bible, the Quran or their right hand — depending on one’s spiritual affiliation or lack thereof — and takes the oath of office, then whether you like them or not counts for little.

You may rant and rave, but you will be stuck with them barring unforeseen happenings like death, resignation or impeachment.

In a lot of instances, leaders who feel sizeable sections of the population don’t believe in their stewardship — but have nonetheless given them the benefit of the doubt — usually go on a charm offensive, engaging in redemptive behaviour partly to disprove critics.

For Uhuru Kenyatta, this happened in 2015, when he delivered his most outstanding State of the Nation address to date.

CORRUPTION

By drawing a bold line in the sand against corruption — an act which resulted in the stepping aside of suspected complicit Cabinet Secretaries — the President had for the first time sent a strong signal to both devotees and doubting Thomases that he indeed meant business.

On the same address, he spoke of restitution as regards select historical injustices, things which Kenyans yearned for but which previously seemed out of the President’s depth and comfort.

It was all bold and new, signalling a surprise ideological shift in Uhuru, from someone pundits opined wanted to be President for its own sake to one who seemed to have a tangible programme for Kenya.

It appeared like his presidency was finally finding its footing, causing naysayers to sit up.

Yet for some strange reason, the goodwill accrued from that State of the Nation address was left to go to waste.

FINAL TERM

The President was back to his lacklustre modus operandi, unable to sustain the anti-corruption purge for the remainder of his maiden term.

To his detractors, this was because of Uhuru’s original shortcoming, that of not being solidly fit for office in the first place.

Then the 2017 general election happened. Fortified by a fresh mandate to govern, Uhuru acquired a humongous sense of urgency, as if someone had lit a fire under his feet.

It now appeared that the single most important word to the President was legacy, which he was out to secure by all means — including throwing non-co-operative family and friends under the bus.

This new rule book has left many wondering whether the President was unaware in 2013 that he would be judged from the moment he lifted the Bible, many contending that if he’s not careful, Uhuru may spend his entire second term attempting to undo the harm caused during his first.

TIME CONSTRAINT

The new Uhuru Kenyatta seems like a man in a hurry, wanting anything and everything done in a huff.

However, the fact that he didn’t carry over momentum from his initial term means he has to manufacture it afresh, a prospect which might leave him worn out, having to multitask — including retrospectively — to disentangle from the past before moving forward.

This state of haste and exigency will expose him to errors and misjudgement, compounding the unflattering perceptions emanating from his previous term.

He may consequently feel like he is doing too little too late, weighed down by cumulative baggage, resulting in despair and anxiety.

In the final analysis, it is fair to say that Uhuru Kenyatta brought these pressures on himself — by not comprehensively exploiting the reason of the doubt extended his way starting in 2013.

Nevertheless, these insufficiencies notwithstanding, and seeing that he is on a high-powered self-redemption streak, there may be a remote possibility that Uhuru could earn himself a fresh dose of the reason of the doubt, which hopefully, he won’t squander a second time.