The recent MoU between Raila's and Ruto's parties exemplifies a tradition in Kenyan politics where rivals form alliances to secure personal benefits, often at the cost of genuine reform. Rooted in the colonial legacy, these handshakes represent elite negotiations that distract from significant societal change while ensuring political stability. Historian insights highlight the recurring theme of these agreements enabling political leaders to maintain power, though the outcomes often perpetuate the inequities within the political landscape. While handshakes have prevented violent discord, they also highlight a failure to address deeper systemic issues.
The handshake signifies the coming together of seemingly intractable enemies into an agreement to share the spoils rather than fight over them.
The handshake became the go-to tactic for managing elite contestation for power as well as popular dissent.
Every politician has a chance to eat. Every deal is possible. No betrayal is unthinkable.
The handshake that ended the post-election violence in 2008 stopped a conflagration sparked by a dispute over the presidential election.
Collection
[
|
...
]