Kenya Elections – Enter William Ruto, Implications For The HOA

Kenya Elections: Enter William Ruto, Implications for
the HOA

A Fresh Start And An Opportunity For An
Integration

By Abdiwahab sheikh
Abdisamad

Introduction

Kenya, which is
strategically situated in both eastern Africa and the horn
of Africa, is seen as a powerhouse in both the horn and East
Africa, and to some degree the whole continent of Africa.
While many of its neighbors have been mired in one crisis
after another, Kenya has remained relatively peaceful, with
a robust democracy and respect for the rule of law rarely
seen elsewhere on the African continent. However, despite
its progress, it is located in the midst of a region plagued
by many spiraling out of control crises that may morph into
Middle East-Asia-like catastrophe.

As I write this in
2022, the rest of the world is making incredible
advancements and aiming to send a man on Mars, but a
significant portion of the region remains seized by
instability, abject poverty, and economic misery. It may
seem like Kenya is doing better than the rest of the
countries in the region, the fact is that what happens in
one part of the regions affects us all. Therefore, instead
of trying to build barriers between us, as we have in the
past, or working against each other’s interests, we should
concentrate on maximizing our mutual benefits while
respecting each other’s sovereignty.

It is time for
Kenya to contribute to the solving and work with other
countries in the Horn of Africa to find a long term
solution. Kenya cannot stay quiet in the face of the
difficult issues that are confronting the region as our
interdependence is vast. As a result, it is time for Kenya
to contribute to the solution of the problem and work with
other nations in the Horn of Africa.

Entry of Ruto,
Reform, or Continuation of the Status Quo

The region
requires a visionary leader, and Dr. William Samoei Ruto,
Kenya’s new President, succeeding Uhuru Kenyatta , can be
that leader. Steering the Horn of Africa to prosperity while
looking out for Kenya’s interests. Dr. Ruto is a seasoned
politician who comprehends the vast complexities of the
regions and who has close relationships with many of the
leaders in the region. Therefore, I have a great deal of
faith that his presidency will resolve the crisis that has
spread throughout the region and create a stable region
whose inhabitants live peacefully. It is critical to
emphasize that Dr. Ruto cannot solve the problem alone;
rather, all stakeholders must work honestly pull together to
find a solution.

To emphasize the region’s profound
problems, Ethiopia is now embroiled in an internal battle
between the TPLF military and the democratically elected
government. Somalia is attempting to recover after a
three-decade civil war, but Al Shabaab, a global terror
organization, is battling the new government, and there is a
never-ending carnage.

For Eritrea, the international
community seems to despise them, and they have been on the
sidelines for years. For Djibouti the economic hardship is
huge, a 2020 World Bank study, indicated an unemployment
rate of 60%.

Despite being neighbors, one element is
impeding any potential future collaboration amongst them in
the Horn of Africa. Rivalries, this has enveloped the region
in the past half-century. Most of the nations in the region
had some type of antagonism against each other at one point,
with Djibouti and Eritrea fighting a war over a tiny stretch
of border, as well as a disastrous war between Ethiopia and
Somalia and a similar one between Eritrea and
Ethiopia.

It is time to put the situation back to
normal and move from the past. Dr. William and other leaders
can begin by healing old wounds for the sake of the region’s
well-being, and then work with other leaders to erase the
animosity.

The rivalry amongst countries in Africa
hinders trade, according to a report published on Trade
Mark, one of the obstacles to intra-African trade that is
caused by rivalry is political barriers, which they
characterize as: “Historical factors, ideas of
sovereignty, security threats, a trust deficit and the
negative mindset of government officials. Broadly speaking,
they arise from a lack of political goodwill and
determination.”

Leaders in the Horn of Africa need
to analyze the tale of the Ethiopian and Eritrean leaders,
who ended the state of war between their respective nations.
Agreed to re-establish economic and diplomatic contacts, and
reunited families separated by the conflict. This effort by
President Abiy Ahmed, which ended a 20-year post-war
territorial deadlock between Ethiopia and Eritrea, should be
replicated in each part of the region in order to eradicate
the historical antagonism between East African
states.

Spoilers

The primary disruptors in the
Horn of Africa are Al Shabaab and The Tigray People’s
Liberation Front, TPLF. These organisations are actively
trying to destabilize the region and the worst thing is that
they are all foreign-sponsored and have no remorse to
further their financiers’ agenda even to the detriment of
the region’s harmony.

There are also war profiteers
in the region. They are individuals who make millions of
dollars and stash them in foreign accounts as the rest of
the population suffer. Kenya has been home to a
misinformation warfare firm that wreaked havoc in countries
like Somalia and Eritrea and South Sudan. It is time to kick
them out and not allow Kenya to be a ground to launch hybrid
warfare in neighboring countries.

Kenya under Dr. Ruto
must take a pro-active role and position in defending the
Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. This is a unique African
project that will change the lives of the people for the
better. Controlling floods and electricity to several
countries.

Currently, there is an ongoing proxy
conflict between Egypt and Ethiopia, with Somalia serving as
a staging ground. This must end quickly and be replaced with
a long-term solution that ensures both Egypt and Ethiopia
profit from the Nile. Dr. Ruto must guarantee that there is
no tension in the areas.

Visionary leader in the
region

I have been paying careful attention to the
region over the course of the last three years and analyzing
the many ways in which the region’s position might be
strengthened. I had a conversation with Abiy Ahmed, and his
novel ideas – which include unrestricted travel around the
region. It left an impression on me. I found them to be
incredibly impressive.

Mr. Abiy shared with me that he
is apprehensive of the power struggle between the east and
the west in the Horn of Africa, he said that the region must
combat their power struggle inside the region as well as
interference in local affairs, and he emphasized that this
is a major concern. After having a conversation with Abiy, I
am convinced that he is a man of vision who genuinely cares
about the people who live in the Horn of Africa. He has
their best interests at heart. Mr. Abiy went on to tell me
that the TPLF has been a scourge, causing suffering in
Ethiopia and the nations that are nearby as well as being
the driving force behind the balkanization of
Somalia.

I also went to Eritrea in 2022, and while
there, I had the opportunity to speak with Isaias Afwerki, a
powerful figure who is widely misunderstood but who served
as an invaluable teacher to me. After talking with him for
four hours, I realized that those hours were more beneficial
to me than the previous 10 years that I had spent studying
political science. He is a most knowledgeable person on the
affairs of the region due to his perspective on the region
as a whole as well as his understanding of the many dynamics
at play.

It is my suggestion that the newly elected
administration work toward establishing closer ties with
Eritrea, a nation that has stood up to the bullying of the
West.

The Horn Integrations

I underscore that
Kenya has much to gain from a stable Horn of Africa region,
which is why President-elect Ruto’s attention must give the
region priority, without diminishing his focus on the East
Africa community block. This will enable his government to
take advantage of the opportunities presented by both
economic blocs.

Dr. Ruto is a visionary leader ,and
Kenya is an economic powerhouse. Kenya is a crucial peace
and economic partner on the continent and in the region, and
it should drive the push to stabilize and expand a trading
relationship.

Kenya would gain immediate access to a
larger market for its goods,. The countries of the Greater
Horn of Africa have a collective population of more than 233
million. In the event that the Horn of Africa forms an
economic bloc, and the challenges are confronted by all the
opportunity from cooperation is huge.

Currently,
Kenya’s trade imbalance is insanely high, with Sh1.21
trillion in 2019 and Sh1.001 trillion in 2020, according to
the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics
(KNBS).

Economic integration benefits other nations in
the region as well, with Kenya having by far the largest
economy of close to $2 trillion. It also has a highly
skilled workforce, as well as one of the best
infrastructures in the region. Furthermore, the country is
reasonably stable, serves as an economic hub, and serves as
an African gateway, making this partnership a win-win for
everyone.

The Horn of Africa covers an estimated two
million square kilometers. It is important to note that
Ethiopia, which has the largest population, is a landlocked
country. The entry of Safaricom PLC, Kenya’s largest
telecommunications company and one of the most profitable
companies in both the East, Central and Sub Saharan areas
shows a broadening and embracing of this market.

One
approach for President-elect William Ruto to wield soft
power in the Horn of Africa is to organize a regional
economic conference. In his manifesto, “The Plan”, Mr.
Ruto campaigned on a platform of economic reform. Part of it
involved breaking into new and regional markets that had
previously been unexplored by his predecessors. To promote
free commerce between Kenya and the rest of the
region,

Dr. Ruto’s government should review the
matter of transport infrastructure and passports in order to
facilitate free movement of citizens amongst member states.
This will greatly benefit tourism, trade and sporting and
cultural interactions. In order for this to be accomplished,
a mechanism such as digitalization of the procedure, as well
as firm adherence to the law by border police, must be in
place.

There should be no harassment based on looks or
religion, but a thorough police background check to
guarantee persons traveling do not represent any harm to the
destination. And corrupt border police who enable smuggling
of contraband goods, drugs and individuals, should be
arrested or fined heavily.

By fostering regional
integration, Mr. Ruto may promote the formation of an
economic bloc in the Horn of Africa to facilitate the flow
of commodities and services for the mutual benefit of
partner states. Kenya’s telecommunications giant,
Safaricom PLC’s entry into the Ethiopian market is a
perfect illustration of what regional integration can
achieve. The open borders have allowed Safaricom to venture
into a new and open market previously untapped. One can only
imagine what the Horn of Africa nations can achieve through
integration.

Dr. Ruto’s plans for the Horn of Africa,
particularly its integration, would guarantee that the
region’s economic resources are adequately utilized and not
exploited by China and the west which creates huge unfair
balance of trade that does favor the foreigners. If he
succeeds in uniting the member nations of the Horn of
Africa, it will be recognized in the annals of
history.

AUTHOR
BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Abdiwahab Sheikh Abdisamad,
Executive director of the Institute for Horn of Africa
Strategic Studies is a Kenyan Citizen and resident and a
specialist in Political Science Conflict Resolution,
Political science, Conflict management, rural development
planning and
education.

ENDS

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