Retired Chief Justice Willy Mutunga has hailed Deputy President William Ruto as an extremely clever man for his strategy in his 2022 presidential bid.
While stating that he does not support his politics, Mutunga noted that Ruto’s disposition as the underdog among political bullies is working well for him against his competitors.
“Dangerous as it may sound, the Hustler thing is challenging the status-quo, the haves versus the have-nots,” Mutunga told The Standard, adding that Ruto is among the ‘haves’ despite what he portrays himself as.
“He is extremely clever.”
Mutunga attributed the DP’s upper hand to what he termed as a good advisory team, something he says Ruto’s main opponent, ODM leader Raila Odinga, is slacking at.
“Raila has been let down by his intellectual team… The thing is, Ruto has cornered them because they can’t oppose his bottom-up narrative,” said Mutunga.
He further added that Ruto “is advised and has the brains to repeat what he’s been told.”
This is not the first time Mutunga is speaking on the DP’s strategy in his 2022 presidential bid.
In June, while speaking to Belgian NGO The International Crisis Group, he termed Ruto as a ‘brilliant’ influencer.
“He is a brilliant organizer and mobilizer. I’ve never underestimated our politicians at all or even the religious leaders, they have a following and they know how to keep their following
He, however, added that he is just like any other politician; a pathological liar who accidentally speaks the truth.
“The deputy president is just being opportunistic. He never supported the Constitutional referendum in 2010, he was along with the churches vehemently against the constitution. But then again, as we say here in Kenya, politicians are pathological liars who tell the truth by accident,” said Mutunga.