Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho has revealed plans to work with Baringo Senator Gideon Moi and other like-minded leaders to block Deputy President William Ruto from the presidency.
Mr. Joho also made demands that politicians, whom he claims are tainted with corruption, to be barred from running for presidency.
Mr Ruto has visited the Coast many times and is believed to be making inroads into the region which was previously dominated by the Nasa coalition. The biggest loser of Mr Ruto’s growing popularity is Mr Joho, who is serving his final term as governor and has his own presidential ambitions.
On Monday Mr Joho illustrated that he is ready to challenge the Deputy President.
“You should resist corruption and corrupt leaders. Let’s be careful to ensure our lives are in safe hands. Only leaders who value humanity will improve people’s lives,” Mr Joho said.
He was speaking during the opening of a maternal high dependency unit at the Coast General Provincial Hospital (CPGH) built by Safaricom Foundation. The unit is the biggest in the country.
Mr Joho, who is a frequent recipient of attacks from Mr Ruto and MPs allied to him, insisted he will join hands with other leaders in the country to clinch the presidency.
“Say what you want and do what you want, but politics is a game. We will deal with you (Mr Ruto) by working with your opponents. Let us not blame one another. Let’s see what will happen come 2022,” the governor said.
Apart from Mr Ruto who has been at the Coast nine times since the March 9 political truce between President Kenyatta and Mr Odinga hoping to use the pact to penetrate the area, Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi and Ford-Kenya’s Moses Wetangula have also been eyeing the region’s votes.
Despite extending a hand of friendship to President Kenyatta and Jubilee Party, Mr Joho has continued his criticism of Mr Ruto who he sees as his biggest rival for his own presidential bid come 2022.