Hatuna deni ya mtu viral song sparks uproar from DP Rutos backyard

A section of leaders from the Rift Valley have publicly reacted to a vernacular song purporting the breaking of ranks between the Jubilee Party’s top leadership.

The song, which has since gone viral, alludes to ethnic division and has been termed as “hate speech” by the leaders.

The lyrics to the song titled ‘Hatuna deni ya mtu’ (which loosely translates to ‘we are in nobody’s debt’) have been doing rounds on social media, sparking uproar from the Rift Valley and supporters of Deputy President William Ruto as the 2022 succession debate heats up.

The song alludes to a split between Central Kenya and the Rift Valley, intimating that there is no debt to pay to DP Ruto as he seeks to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Leaders allied to the Deputy President are, however, not amused by the viral song.

“These songs you’re hearing… these handshakes you see…we want to assure you that, as leaders from the Rift Valley, we are behind William Ruto and we will not allow anybody to disrespect our leader and the journey he began long ago,” said Nominated MP Gideon Keter.

Keiyo South legislator Daniel Rono stated that: “The issue of singing to us about debts…we will not be shaken by that. We went round in 2013 and 2017, brought votes and Ruto and Uhuru went to State House. That is the same way we will go round in 2022.”

The Jubilee Party’s 20-year plan was reportedly for President Kenyatta to take the first ten years and, in return, support his number two for the following 10 years.

Sentiments expressed in the song, however, according to critics, point to division within the country’s ruling party.

The DP, who is keen on succeeding President Kenyatta at the end of his legacy term, has already started preparing his 2022 political war chest on a hustler narrative.

However, with Ruto and Uhuru’s foot soldiers taking on each other in recent weeks, it remains to be seen whether the ruling party will survive the turbulent waters and sail with their unity narrative to the end.