The political turbulence in the ruling Jubilee Party has raised questions on what Deputy President William Ruto’s options are as he executes his strategy for the presidency in 2022.
The handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition leader Raila Odinga, and a declaration by former Jubilee vice chairman David Murathe that a ‘stop Ruto movement’ was in the offing have complicated matters for the DP.
Dr Ruto’s allies have declared that as one of the founders of Jubilee, the DP would fight his adversaries within the party. They said Ruto was confident of securing the party’s ticket to vie for the presidency even through competitive primaries.
But as Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi, an ally of the DP, put it, Ruto was aware that politics was not a church where congregants loved each other, so he was preparing for any eventuality, including a fallout in Jubilee, by courting new alliances.
But Emurua Dikirr MP Johanna Ng’eno has advised the DP to mend fences with “independent minded” leaders with whom he burnt bridges in the run-up to the last election if he hoped to suppress his enemies in Jubilee.
“He fought independent-minded people who would have now come in handy. He thought he would succeed without them. He should retreat and embrace the people he ignored and spent his time fighting, if he wants to succeed,” said Mr Ng’eno.
Former Kakamega senator Bonny Khalwale, who has joined Ruto’s camp, said the DP had nothing to lose in case the country adopted a parliamentary system, a proposal backed by rival, Raila Odinga.
“He controls votes in the North Rift and among pastoralist communities. He has also been making inroads in western Kenya. You cannot write him off,” said Dr Khalwale.
As some politicians from Rift Valley want Ruto to stay put and fight his enemies from within the party, others have cautioned him to tread carefully and start looking for a plan ‘B’ if he is to succeed Uhuru in 2022.
Which do you think is the right plan that DP Ruto will embrace ?