Chama Cha Mashinani Party leader Isaac Ruto believes that his party will play a key role in determining who becomes president during the 2022 General Election. Does this mean that he is among those on the race?
The former Bomet County governor notes that the strategy is to revamp CCM to make it popular not only in Rift Valley region but across the country.
Asked by a local daily whether CCM has a political working arrangement with Deputy President William Ruto, the former governor maintains that he pledged to support President Kenyatta in September 2018.
“That agreement we had at Kapkatet still stands until President Kenyatta completes his term,” he says adding that on supporting DP Ruto that has to wait until Jubilee Party picks who will succeed President Kenyatta.
The former governor dismisses claims that he was in discussions with the DP over the sale of CCM saying the party was formed to defend and strengthen devolution as well as agitate for the rights of mwananchi.
The former governor also wants to push for review of the Constitution ahead of the 2022 polls.
He proposes that losers in the presidential election be nominated to either the Senate or National Assembly.
The former governor also wants leaders of political parties to be considered for nomination to Parliament to broaden the democratic space.
“We need to make our democracy stronger because a political party might send members to Parliament who are later compromised to support certain agendas that are not in line with the political party that sponsored them to Parliament. The party leaders must have a leadership position inside the National Assembly to ensure that MPs elected on the party ticket adhere to the political ideals of the party,” he says.
Ruto insists that allocation to county governments should be 40 per cent of the latest audited accounts. “CCM will be seeking increase in allocation to 45 per cent be anchored in law.