It is a rush for statehouse in 2022, and as time goes by, Deputy President William Ruto’s road to statehouse continues being slippery! Will he really manage to walk through? A political alliance bringing together opposition chiefs Raila Odinga, Musalia Mudavadi and Baringo Senator Gideon Moi could be in the offing.
According to a local daily, allies of the three opposition leaders, backed by a section of politicians from the Mt Kenya region were carefully crafting the alliance, which complicates deputy President William Ruto’s march to State House come 2022.
The political events of earlier in the week, which saw Mr Mudavadi host scores of politicians from across the country, including Mr Odinga’s allies, signalled an emerging alliance built around the clamour for a referendum.
Central in last Wednesday’s meeting at Mr Mudavadi’s Vihiga backyard was Jubilee national vice chairman David Murathe, a close ally of President Kenyatta since his days in Parliament between 1997 and 2002.
The local daily reported that an after-party had been planned at the Ugenya home of Siaya senator James Orengo at which Mr Murathe and former Mukurweini MP Kabando wa Kabando were expected to attend in the spirit of the emerging alliance.
Mr Odinga attended the party but Mr Murathe and Mr Kabando opted out following the demise of a close family member of Lugari MP Ayub Savula who was also scheduled to attend.
At the heart of the anti-Ruto alliance is the referendum push which the opposition chiefs hope to use a rallying point for their unity.
The opposition chiefs also expect to use the referendum and change the constitution to expand the executive, an eventuality which President Kenyatta openly supported during his tour of Kisumu three weeks ago when he voiced the need to create an all inclusive parliament and remove the winner-takes-it-all presidential contest.
Speaking in Kisumu a fought night ago, President Kenyatta made the clearest indication of a referendum, saying there is need to relook at the Constitution with a view of making changes to end the “winner-takes-it-all” scenario to boost inclusivity.
But Mr Ruto, has stated categorically that he would not support calls to expand the executive “to create room for political failures”.
But his opposition to referendum calls seems to be attracting massive opposition from powerful politicians who now seem to be reaching out to each other ahead of the 2022 elections.