Deputy President William Ruto has severally been accused of leaving out his clansmen while putting much effort in politicking.
As DP William Ruto is busy consolidating support in other regions, his Rift Valley backyard is slowly but surely slipping from his grasp.
This has given temerity and oomph to anti-Ruto forces who have now identified at least eight Rift Valley counties where they seek to elbow out the DP and diminish his influence.
Heading this faction is Baringo Senator Gideon Moi who is also KANU’s chairman and Chama Cha Mashinani boss Isaac Rutto who are going all in their bid to dislodge Ruto as the region’s political kingpin.
Gideon has acquired an expansive office in Nairobi’s Upper Hill area where he plans to establish his presidential campaign secretariat.
Pundits claim it will be a tall order for the DP to make a meaningful political impact with the myriad of accusations against him.
“Do you sincerely think that Ruto can become anything beyond what he is now?” asked Tiaty MP William Kamket.
“Ashukuru Mungu mahali amefika (He should thank God for where has reached). But at this rate, I highly doubt whether he will finish his term as the DP,” he said.
Cherangany MP Joshua Kuttuny says the community understood that the leaders they entrusted with the highest office on the land had abandoned them for selfish courses.
According to Kuttuny, professionals from Rift Valley were unhappy with the manner in which the DP and his office had treated them.
“The jostling and activity of these parties is an indicator of the disquiet. They have noticed a big vacuum in leadership an are now taking over,”
He went on, “Farmers across the region are very unhappy and its root cause can be traced to poor leadership. The people are yearning for change.”
Last week, CCM’s Rutto said it must be made clear that Rift Valley does not belong to anybody.
“In Rift Valley, there is this notion that this is a stronghold of a certain party. We want to go into the next election with free political space. If someone will come to force us to toe some political line, we will deal with it directly. We will no longer take intimidation,” he said.
The party has been buoyed by new defectors including wealthy businessman Zedekiah Bundotich popularly known as Buzeki.
On the other hand, Gideon, is said to be quietly approaching friends far and wide with talk of a pact with between him and the ODM leader Raila Odinga in the offing.
DP Ruto, on the other hand, has been traversing the country in a campaign blitz to expand his political network beyond the Rift Valley.
He is also reported to have formed a 14-member team of think tanks that are meeting often to craft ideas and review the political landscape.