Stung by the poaching of his key lieutenants in various parts of the country by his perceived rivals, Deputy President William Ruto appears to be falling back on his vast voter-rich Rift Valley region.
President Uhuru Kenyatta, former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, Baringo Senator Gideon Moi, and Amani National Congress (ANC) party leader Musalia Mudavadi seems to have lately literally pulled the rag under Ruto’s feet in areas where he had made major political inroads.
Dr Ruto on Wednesday held a closed-door meeting with Members of Parliament from Bomet County where a raft of issues was discussed on the current and future political moves.
Bomet Senator Christopher Langat, Woman Representative Joyce Korir, MPs Dominic Koskei (Sotik), Beatrice Kones (Bomet East), Gideon Koskei (Chepalungu), and Johana Ngeno of Emurua Dikirr in the neighbouring Narok county attended the two-hour meeting.
Four legislators – Nominated Jubilee Senator Alice Milgo, Brighton Yegon (Konoin), Ronald Tonui (Bomet Central) and nominated MP Wilson Sossion – did not attend as they were said to be engaged in official duties at the time, with the Karen meeting having been called on short notice.
An MP who attended meeting who spoke off record revealed that their discussions revolved around Ruto consolidating his firm grip on Rift Valley and other friendly regions.
“The outcome of the recent by-elections where UDA delivered only London civic ward in Nakuru county while dismally performing in other regions, notably failing to win Kabuchai parliamentary seat and Machakos Senatorial seat, was a major highlight of the Karen meeting,” our source said.
Political backyard
“Dr Ruto appeared buoyant with the results, explaining to us that despite the loss, he made major inroads with candidates he barked performing way above that of Jubilee candidates in the last general election,” said another MP who attended the meeting.
The DP is said to have told the MPs that even with the state machinery deployed in the by-elections, his perceived opponents going flat out to campaign for several days, UDA candidates performed well despite him (the DP) not joining the Tanga tanga team in wooing voters.
Mr Kiprotich Laitoriat Sirma, a leader from Bomet East constituency, blamed some leaders from South Rift Valley of not doing enough to solidify the DP’s support in the region ahead of the next general election.
“Leaders from the region should do the spade work for the DP in their respective regions. While we need to feel his presence on the ground. Dr Ruto should cast his net wider and bring more communities and their leaders to his fold,” said Mr Sirma.
“It is a given that Dr Ruto enjoys grassroots support in his backyard, but we should not take it for granted the bid to chip away his block by other presidential aspirants. He needs to assure his people that all is well,” he added.
The Karen meeting comes two months after the DP attended a fundraiser in Ndanai trading centre in Sotik constituency, Bomet county where he helped raise Sh4.1 million for boda-boda riders from the area under a revolving fund.
In the clearest demonstration yet that Dr Ruto is keen on consolidating his grip on his political backyard, the DP has brought back Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM) party leader Isaac Ruto into his fold.
Mr Ruto, the first Council of Governors chairman, stood out as the fiercest critic of the DP in the South Rift region, having lost the gubernatorial race to the late Dr Joyce Laboso of Jubilee in the last general election.
Inroads into Ruto’s turf
Dr Laboso, a former Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly succumbed to cancer at Nairobi Hospital on July, 29, 2020 after unsuccessfully seeking specialised treatment in Britain and India.
Dr Ruto toured Kipkelion West constituency in the neighbourng Kericho county two weeks ago after shelving rallies in Belgut and Kipkelion East constituencies so as to attend the funeral service of Arthur Kinyanjui, the son of Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri.
Earlier, the DP had toured Nandi and Narok counties in what has been seen as an effort to wade off any inroads made by his opponents, especially Kanu’s Gideon Moi.
Mr Moi and his troops, including Kanu Secretary General Nick Salat, Baringo Woman Rep Gladwel Tungo and Tiaty MP William Kamket were in Bomet two weeks ago to drum up support for the Kenya’s independence party.
“I am currently focused on development, alleviating the plight of the needy and resettlement of the Mau evictees. Succession politics is not my priority at the moment,” said Mr Moi at a rally in Longisa trading centre on March 12.
Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa is one of the latest prominent figures to leave DP Ruto’s political corner with a number of those in Mount Kenya region having scaled down their appearances in Tanga Tanga meetings.
Former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar has been seen lately hobnobbing with Moi, Mudavadi and Musyoka while former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale and Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria have taken a backseat in the Tanga Tanga team. BY DAILY NATION