Puppet or strategist, amateur or power-hungry heir?

After nearly 10 years in power and a mixed heritage, Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta will remain an enigma to many Kenyans when he leaves office.

But one thing is certain: it is impossible to separate the outgoing leader from his family, which is among the wealthiest in Kenya, as two of Kenya’s four presidents descended from the Kenyatta dynasty.

After failing to stand again after two terms at the helm, his endorsement of historic arch-rival Raila Odinga seemed like a cunning move by a kingmaker looking to influence Kenya’s future long after his retirement.

But the game backfired.

His deputy and once close ally, William Ruto, secured victory – and Kenyatta was rebuked even in his own heartland as Mount Kenya voters voted in favor of his opponent.

As befits his motives or future plans remain unclear.

However, many believe he will build on the diplomatic legacy he has created since his re-election in 2017.

The 60-year-old has worked hard to bolster Kenya’s international standing and has emerged as a regional statesman trying to resolve conflicts in Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

It also bolstered its status as an East African economic hub, embarking on several major infrastructure projects, including a Nairobi Expressway, inaugurated in July.

But these projects also pushed Kenya’s debt to about $70 billion.

In his final address to the nation on the eve of Ruto’s inauguration, Kenyatta said the economy had tripled under his oversight and Kenya was on track to become a middle-income country.

“In all the work I have done as President…I have been guided by the dream of our ancestors: eradicating poverty, ignorance and disease, improving the quality of life for all Kenyans and creating conditions for everyone to achieve their dreams “, he said.

His avowed fight against corruption has provoked confusion and even derision from Kenyans, who have long viewed the Kenyatta family as the embodiment of the elite’s stranglehold on power.

His father, Jomo, served as independent Kenya’s first president, and the family is the country’s largest landowner, with an empire that includes dairy giant Brookside, NCBA bank and TV station Mediamax.

His own fortune was estimated at $500 million by Forbes in 2011.

Born in October 1961 to Jomo and his fourth wife “Mama” Ngina, Uhuru (“freedom” in Swahili) studied in the United States and entered politics in the mid-1990s.

Over the years, “the prince of Kenyan politics” has allied himself with leaders across the spectrum, from autocrat Daniel arap Moi – an early mentor – to former President Mwai Kibaki, whom he supported in the 2007 elections.

This controversial vote sparked an outbreak of politically motivated tribal violence involving mainly two of Kenya’s main ethnic groups, the Kikuyu and the Kalenjin, and left more than 1,100 people dead.

In 2013, Kenyatta – a Kikuyu – allied with Ruto, a Kalenjin, and was elected President.

Both were indicted by the International Criminal Court for their roles in the 2007-2008 killings, but the cases eventually collapsed because prosecutors said a relentless campaign to intimidate witnesses.

Kenyatta’s 2017 re-election bid plunged the country into an uproar as police cracked down on opposition protests to deadly effect.

His victory was annulled by the Supreme Court, but he won a retry after his then opponent Odinga boycotted the trial.

But in March 2018, the two men stunned the nation by shaking hands and declaring a truce — known simply as “the handshake” — that sent Ruto to the brink.

Kenyatta’s pet political project, the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), aimed at expanding the executive branch, met a roadblock after the Supreme Court ruled it illegal.

Many saw the constitutional proposals, which included the creation of a new prime minister post said to be earmarked for Kenyatta, as a last-ditch effort to stay in power after his last term as president.

Kenya’s global standing rose under his watch. He welcomed foreign investors and a number of dignitaries including former US President Barack Obama and Pope Francis.

Some diplomatic sources characterize him as “a party animal who didn’t want the job,” while others describe him as an astute politician with a common note “who knows how to talk to people.”

A regular churchgoer, he mixes easily with regular Kenyans, hitting the dance floor eagerly and joking in local youth lingo.

His shy brother Muhoho handles the family finances, while Kenyatta reportedly enjoys driving around Nairobi late at night, incognito and protected by a handful of bodyguards.

Although many Kenyans suspect Kenyatta will keep his hand in the game, he himself has dismissed the speculation.

“I don’t want to stay in power like they claim. It’s a difficult task,” he said at a prayer service last month.

“Ten years is enough for me.”