DP Ruto's allies defend new party as possible fallback plan

Deputy President William Ruto’s allies have defended their decision to associate with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), in the clearest yet indication that they are fed up with the ruling Jubilee Party after months of simmering tensions.

Dr Ruto’s die-hard lieutenants have begun what they described as a journey for ‘survival in the murky waters of Kenyan politics’.

They have been pushing for a Jubilee Parliamentary Group (PG) meeting to iron out what they term ‘pertinent and thorny issues’ tearing the ruling party apart. They now claim to have been ignored.

Even though President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy have not engaged in direct public confrontations, the two have let slip words that revealed the underlying tensions between them, even as their foot soldiers cross-fired barbs in toxic public spats.

The DP has made known his intentions to be the Jubilee flag-bearer in the 2022 presidential race, something some key allies of the Head of State have vowed to scuttle, further widening the rift in the party.

The handshake between President Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga is another threat to Jubilee unity, with the DP camp complaining that it is aimed at sidelining Dr Ruto.

The emergence of Kieleweke and Tangatanga camps, allied to President Kenyatta and Dr Ruto respectively, has also continued to cause confusion in the party, as 2022 succession politics takes centre-stage.

Leadership changes

Cold wars in Jubilee escalated this year when Secretary-General Raphael Tuju published the party’s intention to change its officials.

In a Kenya Gazette notice dated April 6, 2020, Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu lists the new National Management Committee (NMC) officials as Ms Lucy Nyawira Macharia, Prof Marete Marangu, former Kitutu Masaba MP Walter Nyambati, Ms Jane Nampaso and Mr James Waweru.

The team is in charge of the day-to-day management of the party alongside the NMC.

The DP is also opposed to the intended change of the Jubilee NMC, which he has termed illegal and fraudulent.

"Please take note that the National Executive Committee has never been reconstituted by the party, nor have we ever convened NEC to constitute or reconstitute NMC," the DP said in his protest letter to Ms Nderitu.

Jubilee Deputy Secretary-General Caleb Kositany, who is also the DP’s de facto spokesperson, told the Nation Dr Ruto is free to associate with any political party and that promoting the PDR-UDA party should not be a ‘big deal’.

“People are making noise that UDA is Ruto’s party. In Kenya, there are more than 45 political parties. The DP is free to be in any political party and though we are in Jubilee Party, the problems we have faced there are so many. Those behind the new party have done the right thing,” said the Soy MP.

Looming mass exodus

Mr Kositany further claimed that a mass exodus from Jubilee Party is looming.

“Time will come when there will be mass exodus from the Jubilee Party, whether they like it or not, but for now, we were elected on Jubilee ticket and this party has just changed its name and symbols, that’s democracy. They have broken no law and if the party belongs to DP Ruto, it will be known come 2022,” he said.

According to former Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama, whose name has been floated for UDA’s chairman, their camp is looking for a political party for Kenyans who believe in Dr Ruto’s rags-to-riches tale as a “hustler” who rose from a chicken seller in Turbo, even as he gives them equipment worth millions of shillings.

“We have been looking for a party that will bring together all like-minded Kenyans, including the DP,” said Mr Muthama.

Nandi Governor Stephen Sang says failure to convene the Jubilee PG has left President Uhuru Kenyatta with no choice but to start looking for friendly parties ahead of the 2022 General Election.

“For three years now, there have been headwinds in Jubilee Party, as there has never been any Parliamentary Group (PG) meeting and a plan on how to progress our party. We have seen our opponents – such as ODM and ANC – meeting, but in Jubilee, the party leader has never invited us,” disclosed Governor Sang, another ardent defender of the DP.

“When we realise our woes in Jubilee cannot be resolved, we have a democratic right to look at affiliate parties we can work with and build friendship as early as now,” he added.

"Don't ask"

Aldai MP Cornelius Serem said there is no need to investigate and ask many questions as to why they opted to promote UDA.

“When the President supported the ODM candidate during the Msambweni by-election, you did not ask questions. Ruto has a right to have friends in any political party in this country,” said Mr Serem.

Through a Kenya Gazette notice, the Party for Development and Reforms

(PDR) expressed its intention to rebrand the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and change its symbol from a bull to a wheelbarrow.

The wheelbarrow has become a symbol for the DP’s empowerment campaign, though critics say the youth need digital skills, not “outdated” tools.

The party also wants to change its slogan from ‘mabadiliko na ustawi’ to ‘kazi ni kazi’.

According to Endebes MP Robert Pukose, changing PDR to UDA should not be viewed as  decamping from the ruling party.

“PDR is a Jubilee coalition partner and we are going to associate with UDA just like a partner,” said Dr Pukose.

Keiyo South MP Daniel Rono, a staunch ally of the DP, maintains it is not yet official that UDA is the political vehicle they have settled on for the 2022 presidential quest.

The first-term legislator said the DP is yet to give direction on their choice of party for the next polls, but they are soul-searching on the next step.

“There are no plans to resign from Jubilee Party as at now because it is not yet official that we have settled on UDA. The boss has not spoken about it,” said the MP.

“If it is the case of resigning from the Jubilee Party, it is likely to happen towards the end of 2021 but as we speak, we remain members of Jubilee,” he said.

What the DP said

In August, DP Ruto gave the clearest indication he might not opt for the Jubilee Party in 2022.

In a TV interview, the DP said even though the turbulence in the ruling party can still be ironed out through dialogue, he has several options if the crisis in the party are not resolved.

The DP added that the problems facing the party were engineered by 'conmen' who were hell-bent on puncturing his State House bid.

Isolated in government and staring at an anti-establishment stab at the top office in 2022, DP Ruto alleged plans by certain forces, led by party vice-chairman David Murathe, to bar the party from having a presidential candidate in the 2022 General Election.

"Our Jubilee Party has been hijacked by busybodies, conmen and brokers, making it look like Kanu, which had issues and ended up as a skeleton. Now we are being told that they cannot give tickets even if I win or the party might not field a candidate come 2022 because they have plans with certain individuals," said DP Ruto.

For his part, Cherang'any MP Joshua Kutuny, an ally of the President, said it is obvious the DP’s men have lost sense of direction and are dumbfounded at the manner the Head of State fumigated the ruling party.

Mr Kutuny charged that the DP and his troops’ incessant attacks on the government they are part of depicts them as desperate people who have no strategy to fight for the control of the party.

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