A year into Uhuru’s final term, a strong political wave of rebellion and defiance has rocked the country’s main formations, but the party leaders have dismissed the onslaughts as being spearheaded by money-hungry politicians.
Some of the factors that have influenced the internal power struggles include youthful leaders seeking to wrestle power from the old guard, second term governors angling for national political stage once they retire from county offices, leaders courting new alliances to make up for lost support bases and settling of old political scores.
The President himself has had to angrily rebuke defiance prompted by the succession politics within the Jubilee Party, which have pitted factions against each other, especially on Deputy President William Ruto’s candidature.
ODM Party leader Raila Odinga is battling to retain the support of the Coast region after some of his MPs switched allegiance to back Dr Ruto’s presidential bid and a key ally in Western Kenya said he could not back the former Prime Minister for his fifth bid for high office.
ODM MPs Aisha Jumwa (Malindi) and Suleiman Dori have openly campaigned for Ruto, citing the handshake between Uhuru and Raila that they argue blurred Government and Opposition competition.
Raila is also facing an acid test after his deputy and the newly-elected Council of Governors Chairman Wycliffe Oparanya – who also nurses presidential ambitions as he serves his second term – said it was time he backed a presidential candidate from Western Kenya.
Raila has not indicated whether he will give the contest another stab.