On the contrary Ruto has not only tamed Raila but has also made his boss looks good/presidential by doing the heavy lifting. It's one reason NASA people really hate Ruto. Ruto long up-stagged Raila as the chief propagandist in Kenya. I remember the day I was in Kisumu - a month or so ago - and it was news time - Ruto nailed raila so much the Luos in the bar couldn't help but admire him. I think it was something about fake Joshua taking people to cannan of Busaa and Changaa..Sasa umeskia yule Joshua bandia anataka kupeleka nyinyi Canaan ya Busaa n Changaa!. Never mind it was somewhere in Kibos..the whole bar burst out laughing.
The media loves Ruto because he just unleash sound bites after sound bites. This is actually what made me take note of Ruto in 2001 - him versus entire opposition - when I told my friend - that Ruto was destined for greatness - I think Moi saw that attribute way back in 90s...and enlisted him to help Uhuru & Gideon learn the ropes.
Politics [public speaking] you have to understand is mchongoano. People go to the rallies to laugh at politicians taking a dig against each other.
Ruto has become so good - NASA people are really hating him - but trust me if there was a transfer market - the one player they would want to buy is WSR.
There are politicians who are good say in speaking their mother tongue (Kiunjuri or Isaac Ruto) but very few have eloguence of Ruto in Kalenjin, Kiswahili and English & the delivery. I'd bet they would go head to head with Isaac Rutto on Kalenjin - but Isaac Kiswahili or English is atrocious. Raila swahili or English has to be re-hearsedly - he stammers and fumbles - so whatever he says has to be repeated re-hearsed before a meeting. Uhuru is very fluent in all languages but has more serious-mien - it's hard for him to crack jokes or involve the whole crowd.
William Ruto is the nearest we have for a complete politician - he is good in public speaking, propaganda, power games, in games of cutting deals & decision making, I mean he got it all - he just need to moderate himself because he is clearly running alone.
Ruto is doing a great disservice to Jubilee. I love it!
I hear Mama Ngina has complained about his abrasive style blaming it for their current problems. Music to my ears!
The VP in this DP is supposed to an attack dog during the tenure but stop a year to elections. If he has not brought down someone in four years of those attacks, he will not do it in the election period!
Attacking a tribal demagogue (lets face it that all we have) costs you votes. Even those who would tilt towards you simply fall in line behind the demagogue you attacked.
The best way to peal off supporters from a demagogue is to praise him! Praise him to his tribesmen and accuse his enemies. But do not attack a demagogue.
Ruto goes to Western to attack Mudavadi and Wetangula. That is like shooting oneself in two feet with two guns!
He then goes to Nyanza. In Luo-Nyanza he launches veiled indirect attacks on Raila attacks that grow bolder and crude as he reaches Kisii.
Now I have heard he follows the Moi Framework. It appears he has also dialled back to the late 70s. News from one sub location took a whole week to reach the next and dead people had to be announced on Short wave radio by those who could afford it. It was not strange for a man to arrive from work to find his mother long buried because the family was so poor, it could not afford to send a telegram, announce on radio or make a call!
So Ruto thinks it is that period where Moi would insult Jaramogi most viciously or Njonjo would invite Asians to contribute money to his private harambee and then release diatribe on Luos sure it would not make to the Ethnic Rag or Voice of Kenyatta (VoK)
He gets watched via periscope around the globe!