The gloves are finally off. President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto have unleashed their troops on each other as long-simmering tensions burst into a political showdown.
Last Sunday’s resignation of former Jubilee Vice Chair David Murathe, who also said he would lead a “Stop Ruto Movement”, essentially kicked off an all out, no-holds-barred political duel.
The leadership in and outside Parliament in Mt Kenya is split into three groups: The first one comprises vocal and unapologetic pro-Ruto allies opposed to what they see as a cold Machiavellian attempt to eject the DP from the Kenyatta succession line-up.
And this after helping Mr Kenyatta secure two terms in office.
The second group comprises a calculating lot that won’t show its hand too soon, waiting for a signal, possibly from the President, who has said his sole focus is on his legacy — the “Big Four” economic agenda, namely universal health, affordable housing, industrialisation and food security.
To these, he has since added uniting Kenyans and fighting corruption as the things he would want to be remembered for.
Then there is the third group under the umbrella of Former Parliamentarians Association (Fopa), whose members blame Mr Ruto for their losses in the 2017 Jubilee primaries.
Most of those who trounced them are believed to owe their election and plum parliamentary committee memberships to Mr Ruto rather than the President.
The Fopa members have been vocal and visible, visiting ODM leader Raila Odinga in support of the “handshake”, and publicly wooing Amani Coalition leader Musalia Mudavadi to join other Nasa principles Kalonzo Musyoka and Mr Odinga in the Building Bridges Initiative.
That will make 2019 an annus horribilis (terrible year) or annus mirabilis (wonderful year), depending on who wins the battle for the hearts and minds of voters in central Kenya.
There are only two standpoints: vindicating Mr Ruto and rebelling against the President, or rejecting Mr Ruto.