William Ruto in a spot as Joash Maangi retraces his ODM roots

Deputy President William Ruto has suffered a major political blow and may be forced to go back to the drawing board after losing his point man in Gusiiland, Kisii Deputy Governor Joash Maangi.

On Friday, Mr Maangi attended the Azimio la Umoja event, a clear indication he had quit the Ruto camp and his United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party.

Mr Maangi has in recent months gradually shifted his allegiance, from DP Ruto to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and its party leader Raila Odinga, a move that has left his supporters and critics confused.

Dalliance with the DP

He has cleverly avoided the DP’s meetings in Gusii, excusing himself that he was engaged in official duties as Kisii Governor James Ongwae’s deputy. They were jointly elected on an ODM ticket. “I did not ever leave ODM. I’ve always been a member of ODM,” Mr Maangi told Nation, even as he avoided explaining his dalliance with the DP.

However, he has previously said the DP is his ally and there’s nothing wrong when one associates with a friend.

Mr Maangi is credited with marshalling support for the DP and his ‘Hustler Nation’ narrative in Gusii at a time when it was tough to sell UDA in the ODM and Jubilee strongholds.

Ruto camp

Being the most senior leader from Gusii in the Ruto camp, Mr Maangi has been an asset to the second-in-command in the last three years of their political courtship. His departure leaves the DP in an awkward position.

In his place, UDA hopes to steer forward its ship through the leadership of the party’s National Treasurer Omingo Magara, who, just like Mr Maangi, is eyeing the Kisii governorship.

Critics, however, say Mr Magara does not hold any elective seat, and this makes it hard for him to sell the party beyond Kisii. But he says he has the capacity to marshal support for UDA and its boss and is optimistic the party remains strong more than ever.

“We’re here. We’ve been in politics for many years and we know what it entails to win. We’re in UDA to stay and we’ll drum up support for our presidential candidate, Dr Ruto, in all corners of Gusii and beyond,” Mr Magara said.

He has the support of South Mugirango MP Silvanus Osoro, whom leaders in UDA say lacks organisational skills needed to popularise the party, despite being an orator.

Other politicians in the Ruto camp include Okeng’o Nyambane, Don Bosco Gichana, and Zaheer Jhanda, all parliamentary aspirants.

Elected leaders, like Bomachoge Chache’s Alpha Miruka, have not come out boldly to show their support for Dr Ruto.

Mr Maangi now joins his boss, Governor Ongwae, who has also teamed up with Kisii senator Prof Sam Ongeri and Woman Representative Janet Ong’era.

Sources indicate that Mr Ongwae hopes to use the team to suppress the influence of Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i on Gusii politics and the growing popularity of Dagoretti North MP Simba Arati in the county.

Dr Matiang’i and Mr Ongwae have had an on-off relationship due to their different political stance.

The Interior CS has reiterated his loyalty to President Kenyatta and says he will queue right behind him and that his political decisions will be guided by his boss.

Faces new threats

“We must listen to what the President is telling us. He’s sensible and we know it, and we can see the direction he’s taking us,” the CS said last week during a function at Nyaura DEB Primary School.

Mr Ongwae has put every effort into fighting leaders from Gusii who don’t subscribe to his political beliefs. He now faces new threats from the fact that Dr Matiang’i and Mr Odinga are increasingly becoming close to an extent of the ODM leader referring to the Interior CS as his son.

Speaking last month at Mwongori High School in Nyamira County, Mr Odinga publicly announced that he had buried the hatchet with the CS and promised to work with him.

Mr Odinga admitted he had to cut short his speech before calling Dr Matiang’i for the symbolic handshake. “I didn’t expect this. I didn’t know what the CS was planning and had planned to say in this forum. This is emotional,” he said.

He revealed that they had agreed to front the CS for president, but took a U-turn after surveying the political landscape and concluding that the time was ripe for the ODM chief to take charge.

Succession politics

“Ongwae believes that a united Kisii County leadership stands a better chance [of defeating] Dr Matiang’i, Mr Arati and UDA, hence the reason he has embraced his deputy and is ready to support him in the succession politics,” a source close to the governor said.

However, Mr Ongwae, through his preferred successor for governorship and line-up for Kisii top seats, will first have to contend with Mr Arati in the ODM nomination, an exercise that the Dagoretti North lawmaker has promised to be gruelling.

Mr Arati has the support of Kitutu Chache South MP Richard Onyonka, himself a senatorial hopeful. To quell the governorship fight in his camp, sources indicate Mr Ongwae is trying to persuade Ongeri and Ong’era to drop their governor bids and defend their current positions.

In Nyamira, the DP has the support of Joash Nyamoko (North Mugirango), Vincent Kemosi (West Mugirango) and Shadrack Mose (Kitutu Masaba).

The three, however, face massive opposition from the county’s top leadership, led by Governor Amos Nyaribo, Senator Okong’o Omogeni and Woman Rep Jerusha Momanyi.

They support Dr Matiang’i and have vowed to ensure residents shun Ruto’s bottom-up and wheelbarrow economic policies.

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