The 2022 elections are already on sight, and realignments are expected to soon emerge as politicians identify their preferred slots.
In Rift Valley region, as always, there are expected to emerge a group of rebels who will realign themselves with rival parties at a time when the region seems to be rallied behind Deputy President William Ruto.
Here are some of the area’s politicians who might find themselves in Raila Odinga’s government in the instance that he vies for the presidency and wins.
Isaac Ruto
The former Bomet County boss would most likely be tipped for a top state job in Raila’s government in the instance that Odinga outsmarts DP Ruto in the race.
He is currently seen as one of the top figures in the region, whose nomination would give Raila’s leadership a national outlook and promise him the Rift Valley vote in 2027.
At the same time, it would be a thank you token for doing the unthinkable in the 2017 election when he put his position at stake to support Raila’s presidential bid.
Gideon Moi
Moi will not only play a role in Raila’s 2022 presidential elections but will as well land a big state job or top position in the event that the former Prime Minister makes it.
ODM leader Raila Odinga and Kanu Chairman Gideon Moi made the clearest indication of working together Tuesday, when they met at a Nairobi restaurant.
Sources privy to the meeting told the Nationthat the two leaders want to work together, and that they discussed the possibility of achieving that through combined efforts to clinch the Wajir West parliamentary seat.
Even though ODM director of elections Junet Mohammed, who attended the meeting, did not confirm the possibility of the two leaders working together in 2022, other leaders interviewed said that was inevitable.
THREE-HOUR MEETING
Mr Odinga and Mr Moi met at The Lord Erroll restaurant in Runda for more than three hours, a meeting Mr Mohammed confirmed discussed the political situation in the country.
This would be another way of further suppressing his (Moi) main rival Ruto and also as a gratitude token for backing him at a time when the Rift Valley seems wholly allied to the DP.
Should Mr Odinga’s and Mr Moi’s discussions bear fruit, either ODM or Kanu will drop its candidate as they join forces to back one contender to face off with the Jubilee hopeful.
Tiaty MP William Kamket (Kanu) said Mr Odinga’s and Mr Moi’s union will extend up to the 2022 elections.
“They explored ways of working together in the Wajir West by-election and the deal will be extended towards working together in the referendum and the 2022 election,” Mr Kamket said.
Kanu Secretary-General Nick Salat said the opposition leader’s and the Baringo senator’s meeting yesterday was aimed at strengthening the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) following Mr Odinga’s peace deal with President Kenyatta on March 9, last year.
With a weaker Ruto, Raila would easily get reelection in 2027 and would need the Baringo senator to help him out with that.
Nick Salat, Johanna Ng’eno and William Kamket
This is a group of Rift Valley politicians who are very unlikely to secure any seats in the elections at a time when Ruto’s allies will be expected to sweep the region clean.
having been his critics, it would be time to adopt them and reward them at their time of need.