Today, more African leaders are embracing good governance and adopting democratic policies.
They are respecting human rights and are more accountable to their citizens, although it’s happening at a snail’s speed.
But the bad ones still exist. For example, in Kenya, politicians can be deadly.
In fact, the population perceives them as liars, greedy and dangerous.
They’ve learned to use fear as a political weapon and they’ll use their power to destroy anything and anyone that interferes with their livelihoods and way of life.
In this segment, we are going to highlight 6 of the most feared politicians in Kenya and why they are feared.
Read on…
1. William Samoe Ruto
In Kenya, the president is, naturally, the most powerful and feared politician.
This is because he is the country’s head of state and government.
He Is the Commander-in-Chief of the military. He Exercises the country’s executive authority.
In other words, he holds the ultimate power. His decision is final. He decides who stays in power and who exits, and who lives and who dies.
Besides the executive power, Ruto’s personality makes him the most feared politician in Kenya.
He is aggressive. He pursues his ambitions intelligently and fearlessly.
This is evident in the last elections, which he won even with his competitor, Raila Odinga, having the state machinery on his side.
He is also a people person, owing to his humble beginnings. This makes him popular with the majority of Kenyans who live below the poverty line.
This ”people person” attribute has made him become feared by the political class.
The political class wants to maintain the status quo (the class system), which aims to impoverish and marginalize the less fortunate to further their capitalist agenda.
2. Raila Amollo Odinga
While the presidency has always eluded him, Raila Odinga is one of the most feared politicians in Kenya.
In fact, he is feared both locally and internationally.
Locally, he is feared by the ruling class (the government of the day). He is not afraid to criticize the government when it’s going against the grain or not delivering on its promises.
For example, he is now taking the current government to task for not delivering on its promise to lower food prices in the first 100 days.
He also exposes cabinet secretaries when they’re involved in corruption. For example, he exposed the NYS Scandal in the ministry of devolution, which was headed by Anne Waiguru, that cost the country billions of shillings.
Internationally, he is feared by foreign powers (America and Britain) who still want to colonize Kenya.
He publicly champions for the full liberation of Africa by advising African leaders to unite and refuse to bow down to the demands of these world powers.
All these factors make Raila Odinga one of the most feared politicians in Kenya.
On the contrary, he is loved by the common citizen because he relentlessly and unconditionally fights for their right.
3. Kithure Kindiki
Kithure Kindiki is the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Interior and National Administration.
The Interior and National Administration is a very powerful docket because it’s involved in major undertakings, which include internal security, oversight over internal security, as well as management and oversight in the national government ministries and state departments.
In other words, Prof. Kithure Kindike gets all the briefings regarding the security of the country and briefs the president daily.
If a powerful politician is to be arrested, he gives the final authority to the police.
This makes him one of the most feared politicians in Kenya.
4. Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta
Uhuru Kenyatta is still one of the most powerful and feared politicians despite exiting the presidency a few months ago.
He was president for 10 years, so he knows all the government secrets and how the government works.
He can use that information and his networks to take down the current president and his cabinet secretaries if they try to come for him.
The president, politicians and other powerful people know that, which is why they won’t dare cross his path.
He is also a very wealthy man. According to Forbes, Uhuru Kenyatta is the fourth richest president in Africa, with a net worth of $750 million.
This means he pretty much controls the economy of this country.
Add the fact that the people of his community (Kikuyus) have huge economic power, he could easily take down the economy of this country if provoked.
All these factors make him one of the most feared politicians in Kenya today.
5. Rigathi Gachagua
Rigathi Gachagua is the deputy president of Kenya.
The fact that he is the second in command makes him a powerful and feared politician.
But what makes people afraid of Rigathi Gachagua is that he served as a District Officer (DO) in the Moi era, where intimidation, torture and persecution were the order of the day.
People fear that he has inherited Moi’s characteristics, and this is evident today where he speaks his mind without fear.
An example is when he criticized Nairobi governor, Johnson Sakaja, for the speedy and disruptive reforms he is bringing to the city.
His recent relentless attacks on Raila and proclaiming that he, the son of a Mau Mau fighter, is the solution to Raila’s constant attack on the government, has made people even more afraid of him.
6. Jimi Wanjigi
Jimi Wanjigi is one of the tycoons who control the country.
He is equated to the Russian Oligarchs.
He came into prominence when he joined the Raila’s campaign.
This put him in constant loggerheads with the then-president Uhuru Kenyatta.
Uhuru Kenyatta used his power, including unleashing the police, KRA and anti-graft body to bring him down in vain.
He later fell out with Raila and joined the Safina party as a presidential candidate.
Although he didn’t win, he remains one of the most influential, powerful and feared politicians in Kenya.
You may also want to check: 10 MOST INTELLIGENT POLITICIANS IN KENYA (2023)
