I kicked Ruto out of Serena talks to save Kenya. Rtd Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa Reveals

As Kenya burnt after the disputed 2007-2008 General Elections, Kenyans and the International community beseeched the warring factions to sit down, talk and make peace. The talks nearly collapsed due to William Ruto’s attempt to hijack the process for personal gains.

In his book, “My life, My purpose: A Tanzanian president Remembers” ,Former TZ President, H.E Benjamin Mkapa describes William Ruto as a POWER HUNGRY, TRIBAL, CORRUPT , UNTRUSTWORTHY and a DANGEROUS WAR LORD, who gave absurd conditions that threatened peace, businesses and lives of the Kikuyu, Kamba & Kisii communities and escalated violence in 2007/2008 PEV.

According to President Mkapa, Ruto gave the following conditions during the Serena talks;
• Immediate “return” of all Kalenjin lands, occupied by “outsiders”.
• Arrest and prosecution of President Kibaki and his Kitchen Cabinet, majorly from Mt.Kenya, by the International Community, before the International Criminal Court.
• NON compensation/restitution of the victims of violence who had lost their businesses, land and other assets.
• A free hand by Kalenjins to forcefully acquire the huge tracks of land owned by non-Kalenjins.
• That the PM’s post MUST be given to him(William Ruto), before any other negotiations, as he had been lined up by the 2007 ODM power structure to be the Executive PM.

“It was now clear that William Ruto had lost focus, direction and objective of the negotiations, as he flatly shifted from representing the interests of The Rt.Hon. Raila Odinga, the interests of ODM and the interests of ODM followers nationally, to his own personal interests, hatred, bile and vendetta against the one community and Moi family”.

According to Mkapa,it was only after Kicking Ruto from the talks that any meaningful development was made and the country was salvaged via a grand-coalition arrangement.

As Kenya heads to elections in 2022, Kenyans must be even wiser opines Mkapa