Years ago, an Australian reporter managed to interview an African revolutionary leader who had risen from military ranks through a bloody civil war to rule as dictator. In a midnightly interview, the leader, having completed his day's work in judging rebels and criminals, condemning some to summary execution and others to incarceration, agreed with the journalist's summary: "Yes, one has to carry out the wishes of the people." A long silence, then he asked, plaintively: "But how does one find out what they want?"

William Ruto, fresh from a narrow election win upheld by the Kenyan Supreme Court, was inaugurated in a spectacular ceremony in Nairobi, Kenya, this week. A long-time insider who managed to sell himself as an outsider, a populist and someone with the popular touch, Ruto risked an instant drop in popularity by abolishing subsidies on fuel and staple foods, claiming that thise caused corruption, were used to bribe voters, and that the Kenyan economy cannot support it. 

Ruto's election, against the wishes of his friend and predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, drew gasps of amazement from neighboring Tanzania, where observers marveled at the fact that the incumbent firstly did not seek to extend his rule, then did not use the powers of the state to impose his will on the electorate. In fact, only recently, before the 2015 elections, did a leader in the ruling party promise that his party would win by any means necessary. Five years later, the party's secretary-general declared that it would be stupid not to use the powers of incumbency. "You take the state, then you use the state to remain in power," Mr Bashiru Ally said.

This sentiment might well resonate with what some observe in the present United States political scene, but I would prefer to draw attention to recent events in Moscow and Kyiv. After the recent spectacular Ukrainian breakthrough in the Kharkiv sector, commentators on Russian State TV sought to explain what had happened. The surprise that people who, so the commentators still insist, are not really entitled to choose their nationality, could react by fighting against their 'liberators', could arrest teachers sent to 'educate' children with the correct version of the truth, these were clearly beyond belief.

These people, the political elite in Moscow, probably did not receive the message sent by Ukrainian President Zelensky when he spelled it out after Russian bombardment of power stations and waterworks: "Do you still think we are one people? Do you still think you can scare us, break us, force us to make concessions?" And later: "History will put everything in its place. And we will be with gas, water, light, food... and WITHOUT you!"

The idea of self-determination of peoples is relatively new. There are still Sons of Heaven on this earth who claim the right to rule, to decide for others. They now need sham elections to pretend to support their people.

But not for long.