If he can't defeat dark forces...

An interesting feature of the Musalia/Uhuru fallout has been overlooked in my estimation: the fact that Uhuru Kenyatta seems to be held hostage by hostile forces. The popular narrative is that Uhuru Kenyatta has managed to subvert the intentions of these hostile forces, but he doesn't seem to have been strong enough in the first instance to keep them at bay. When he went on national TV and spoke of dark forces coercing him into agreeing to stand down in favour of Musalia Mudavadi, Mr Kenyatta demonstrated that he will not be the president Kenyans would want or need. Kenya is in no hurry to elect a president who will fold every time someone stronger comes along and compels him to do something that would be against the national interest. His arguments that his "people" rejected the deal that he had struck with Musalia Mudavadi speaks volumes of the kind of leadership he practices. He does not lead; he follows tamely like a sheep to the slaughter. He may talk a good game, but Uhuru Kenyatta is not his own man, all evidence to the contrary.

We may never know what went on in Uhuru Kenyatta's camp, but one thing is becoming clear by the day. Decisions are made by others and he either follows them or he is compelled to follow them. Even when there are competing interests at play, Mr Kenyatta seems to fall into the follow-the-leader role rather too quickly. Even Rachel Shebesh, when she appeared on TV to forcefully reject the Musalia Mudavadi deal, alluded to this reality when she declared that it was not up to Mr Kenyatta whether he was the TNA standard-bearer. The presidency, as all have been reminding Musalia Mudavadi, is not something that is gifted to someone; it must be taken. What Ms Shebesh demonstrated is that regardless of what Mr Kenyatta said or did in his interactions with Mr Mudavadi, he did not have a say in whether he would stand for the presidency, that the decision had already been taken by "the party" and that he would fall in line whether he wanted to or not.

This has been Mr Kenyatta's story since he was Daniel Toroitich arap Moi's Project in 2002. Until Mr Moi appointed him one of four vice-chairmen of KANU and announced that he would lead the party at the 2002 general election, Mr Kenyatta had not expressed the desire to stand for the presidency. In 2007 he demurred, refusing to lead his party against Mwai Kibaki and PNU and instead, aligning his party with that of the incumbent. Even then there were insinuations that he had been prevailed upon by unnamed persons not to rock the boat and instead support one from the House of Mumbi against Raila Odinga and the ODM juggernaut.

Mr Kenyatta has offered the image of a strong and determined political leader in the last six months but that image may be a false one. If he is incapable of articulating forcefully what his vision for the nation is and if he is incapable of persuading these "dark forces" that he is best placed to realise that vision, he has not business offering himself for the highest seat in the land. He is better off allowing the wily William Ruto or the much-maligned Musalia Mudavadi to take on the onerous task of campaigning against Raila Odinga in 2013. Mr Kenyatta seems incapable of commanding the respect of even his troops. There is no reason that he will mould the government in his image. It seems to me that if he somehow manages to best Raila Odinga at the hustings, the government will overwhelm him and it will instead run rings around him. Mr Kenyatta does not have the strength or ambition required to lead a nation. It is time someone told him so.