Deputy President William Ruto has embarked on a plot to form a new alliance with key politicians from all the 47 counties to beat the dynasties in 2022 general elections.
Ruto’s new move comes in the wake of ODM leader Raila Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta turning the home of Cotu secretary Francis Atwoli as the place to plan 2022 succession politics.
In the past three weeks the deputy president has been holed up in a series of meetings with his dream team.
Uhuru and Ruto made a succession deal in 2013 but that has since been shuttered after the president reached out to the opposition chief Raila Odinga through the handshake in march 2018.
The DP is now crafting new alliances as he paves his way to occupy the the top seat. He has reach out to 75 leaders across the country who will make it to the negotiating table to agree on the flag bearer.
Ruto’s team has divided the country into the previous 8 provinces where each region will have representatives from each county at the negotiating table.
The representatives are governors, MPs, senators, religious leaders, youth leaders, community leaders, professionals and civil society groups.
ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi has denied reports that he has accepted to work with Ruto in 2022 but it is reported that they in serious talks on who to support who for the top seat.
Musalia has been holding meetings with Ruto allies with several leaders from ‘Luhya nation’ making several trips to Ruto’s residence in Karen and Mudavadi’s home.
On Friday, Ruto held a seven-hour meeting with three governors from Coast who were accompanied by several MPs at the same time Mudavadi and embattled Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula were also meeting politicians from Western region.
Former Machakos Senator Johnson Muthama who led the Ukambani team confirmed that talks are ongoing to bring on board all like-minded leaders and it will be the true face of kenya.
“We have Kenyans who stand a good chance to be president. Many of us trying to look at ourselves –who among the leaders we has a better chance to unite and develop this country without giving personal interest first as we have seen,” Muthama said.
There are fears that President Kenyatta may push for a referendum to amend the 2010 Constitution and Muthama said Ruto and his team will follow the will of the people.
“If Kenyans will be fine with the expansion of the Executive to create more positions, we will be the first to support. There has been a narrative that Ruto or some of us are opposed to a referendum. No.” Muthama added.
“Kenyans will have to think twice. The country is in financial crisis. Kenyans have lost jobs, businesses have been closed down then we have some people proposing a referendum just to preserve the interests of some few individuals,” he said.
And while others criticise the politics played amidst covid-19 pandemic, Mathira MP Nderitu Gachagua said there is no crime in leaders meeting to plan, noting that even Raila and his team has been meeting and strategising.
President Kenyatta is serving his final term but it is understood that he is banking on the anticipated Building Bridges Initiative report that might give him a room to make a comeback as Prime Minister.
It is the envisaged post of a Prime Minister is the epicentre of the battle between Uhuru and Ruto camps in the quest to control of Jubilee Party. Uhuru team is said to scheming on ow to use the party to bargain for the PM’s position.
The President’s side believes that having the Jubilee Party firmly under their control, will give them strong bargaining powers in the expected political formations ahead of the 2022 polls.
