With political heat already gaining momentum in Kenya, different aspiring politicians are busy crisscrossing the country building bridges with others seeking new alliances ahead of 2022 general elections.
Deputy President William Ruto is among those whose intentions to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta have been made known. With an imminent fall out with Uhuru looming, Ruto is on the drawing board quietly shopping for a political party to be his vehicle for the 2022 presidential race.
Confidential reports have it that DP’s political draftsmen are crafting a well-knitted campaign onslaught to counter his foes’ narratives with reduced public appearances, secret church functions and direct engagement with voters across the counties.
The DP’s strategic team has embarked on an image rebranding that also involves reaching out to his perceived enemy’s more so, those in then YK92 associated with Cyrus Jirongo and Sam Nyamweya of the Moi era
Ruto’s eyes are also trained on the likes of former Equity Bank chairman Peter Munga, Royal Media Services owner SK Macharia, Kirinyaga woman representative Purity Ngirichi, Ruaraka land tycoon Samuel Mburu, Mastermind Tobacco owner Wilfred Murungi, former Embu senator Leny Kivuti, Kamba billionaire James Kisia and a host of sitting and former governors across the country.
Ruto’s team had thought of a plan to re-brand URP, However, fearing legal implications that will come along, they opted for a new outfit to avoid embarrassment but with URP most favoured.
Garissa Town MP Aden Duale is said to favour URP and has launched a football club named the “Northern Wanderers” whose uniform had similar colours to URP. Infact it is said, URP is and was the brainchild of Duale after Ruto bid to register UDM flopped.
The team is still weighing on options for URP with fears that the other Jubilee team might go to court to challenge the URP rebirth on grounds one cannot dissolve a party and then ‘resurrect’ it
Insiders say Ruto wants a party that will have branches in all the 47 counties, with members of his Tanga Tanga team occupying key positions as they market him as the most ideal candidate to succeed Uhuru.
Registrar of Political Parties Lucy Ndung’u had revealed that Ruto’s allies had registered two parties, United Green Party and Grand Dream Development Party.
The MPs linked to the two parties included Cornelly Serem of Aldai, Nandi senator Samson Cherargei, Oscar Sudi, Kapsaret and Caleb Kositany, Soi among others.
Cherargei even confessed they were shopping for a new vehicle for the DP for the purposes of 2022 polls since chances were high Ruto would be kicked out of Jubilee asante ya punda style.
But the DP is said to have been wary of using a party registered by his close allies fearing it might not work and hence prefers an outfit owned by a neutral person.
Insiders say the DP is now considering taking over former Vihiga governor Moses Akaranga’s Progressive Party of Kenya. Prior to the TNA, URP merger, Akaranga refused to dissolve PPK opting to work closely with the Jubilee administration.
The former Vihiga governor is among Western Kenya leaders behind the deputy president. The others include MPs Didmus Barasa of Kimilili, Bernard Shinali, Ikolomani, Charles Gimose, Hamisi and former MP Bonny Khalwale.
Should Ruto pick PPK as his vehicle for 2022, according to sources, Khalwale is earmarked for a big post in the new party as either the chairman or deputy, so as to win the Luhya vote.